Editor&Publisher: Another Tragedy in Iraq -- and a Parent's Plea
"We are dealing with non-hostile combat death in the family. The army ruled it as self-inflicted despite the fact we were in constant contact with him....Greg, something stinks with this noncombat crap going on, and families like us are isolated & left to fend for ourselves."
By Greg Mitchell
(December 22, 2007) -- Putting politics and views on the war aside, it is my holiday wish that the media continue to draw attention to the disturbing number of suicides among our troops in Iraq. I have been writing about this for over four years. Paul Rieckhoff of Irag and Afghanistan Veterans of America has long been pushing for this also, to no avail. I penned a well-publicized column, partly based on an interview with Paul, a few weeks ago asking when the media would finally focus on this issue -- and I'm grateful that, for whatever reason, there has been a flood of stories from high-level media outlets about this ever since, starting with a two-part CBS News report last month.
Just this week, we have seen (and E & P has covered) a remarkable report in the Army Times about a mutiny among our troops that followed a sergeant’s suicide and other tragic deaths, and an in-depth AP report about a family’s quest to uncover information about the military’s mistreatment of their son, who also killed himself over there.
The official total of suicides in the Iraq stands at 132, but this does not include the many cases still under investigation, others that are likely but not proven, and hundreds of others that have happened on a return home. Just this week comes word of a few more “noncombat” fatalities in Iraq, which often turn out to be self-inflicted.
When I posted about the Army Times story on my blog this week, a comment from a reader turned up there. It comes from the parent of a suicide victim in Iraq. The mother or father is unfortunately “anonymous,” but if you can provide any information or help (while I do my own search), please let me know.
That message:
“We are dealing with non-hostile combat death in the family. The army ruled it as self-inflicted despite the fact we were in constant contact with him. Testimonies of his final hours showed no sign of suicidal tendencies, physical evidence provided was contradicting and circumstantial at best. He was getting out Iraq and the service in less than 4 months.
“I am curious about this medication comment that increases 'the likelihood of suicide ideation/gesture.’ What types of medication could be suspect that would be used for relieving stress and anxiety? Nothing else makes sense and the Army has only released the sparse information that supports their determinations.
“Greg, something stinks with this noncombat crap going on, and families like us are isolated & left to fend for ourselves. The government/Army holds all the cards and resources and know the process in which we have to navigate through to get information and the many ways to be denied. It's a job to them. For us, it's picking up the shattered remains of our lives.”...
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003688302
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