Army suicides 26 year high, but there even more

Aug 15, 9:04 PM EDT
Army Suicides Highest in 26 Years
By PAULINE JELINEK Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Army soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a new military report.


The report, obtained by The Associated Press ahead of its scheduled release Thursday, found there were 99 confirmed suicides among active duty soldiers during 2006, up from 88 the previous year and the highest since the 102 suicides in 1991 at the time of the Persian Gulf War.


The suicide rate for the Army has fluctuated over the past 26 years, from last year's high of 17.3 per 100,000 to a low of 9.1 per 100,000 in 2001.


Last year, "Iraq was the most common deployment location for both (suicides) and attempts," the report said.


The 99 suicides included 28 soldiers deployed to the two wars and 71 who weren't. About twice as many women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan committed suicide as did women not sent to war, the report said

read the rest here
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ARMY_SUICIDES?SITE=OHLIM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

but this is not including the figures from the VA

Deployments strain troops' mental health
Pentagon panel warns overburdened system could fail to meet needs
Associated Press
Updated: 7:34 p.m. ET May 4, 2007


Both the VA and the Pentagon in recent weeks have acknowledged a need to improve mental health treatment. Jan Kemp, a VA associate director for education who works on mental health, has estimated there are up to 1,000 suicides a year among veterans within the VA system, and as many as 5,000 a year among all living veterans.


A recent investigation by the Government Accountability Office found that just 22 percent of U.S. troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who showed signs of PTSD were being referred by Pentagon health care providers for mental health evaluation, citing inconsistent and subjective standards in determining when treatment was needed.

read the rest here
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18488585/

I heard about this report about an hour ago watching Countdown on MSNBC. I was sickened when I heard the number because I knew the numbers being released were not the truth. They do not count them when they come home. I've looked up enough of these "non-combat" deaths to know there are too many never showing up on the reports. I wonder how many papers will be just repeating the same information and not doing their own research as to what is true and what is only a piece of the truth.
Kathie Costos

Namguardianangel@aol.com

http://www.namguardianangel.org/

http://www.namguardianangel.blogspot.com/

http://www.woundedtimes.blogspot.com/

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