Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside attempts suicide again

Soldier Suicide Attempts Skyrocket
CBS News And Washington Post: Staggering New Army Numbers Show Serious Problem
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2008

Just one who is part of a staggering rise in suicide attempts by soldiers, Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside was admitted to the psychiatric lockdown ward at Walter Reed Army Medical center after trying to kill herself earlier this week. She had already been nearly court-marshalled for an earlier suicide attempt.

A Soldier's Cry For Help
CBS News first broke the story of the growing epidemic of suicides among army personnel last November. David Martin has one soldier's harrowing story and her struggle to get help. Share/Embed
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Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans
VA Struggles With Vets' Mental Health
(CBS) CBS News broke the story of the epidemic of suicides and attempted suicides among veterans in November. And tonight, new Army figures illustrate how serious the problem has become among active military servicemembers. It's part of an exclusive report that will appear in Thursday's Washington Post and on washingtonpost.com. CBS News national security correspondent David Martin has one soldier's harrowing story - and her struggle to get help.

Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside was admitted to the psychiatric lockdown ward at Walter Reed Army Medical center after trying to kill herself earlier this week, Martin reports. "She took two weeks worth of medicines - four different medications... and she took them all at once," her father, Tom Whiteside, said. He holds a note she left, reading in part: "I'm very disappointed with the Army." He says her suicide attempt was brought on by the stress of waiting to find out if she would be court-martialed for an earlier attempt to kill herself. "It became so distressing to my daughter, it just drove her over the edge and, um, she attempted to take her own life," Whiteside said. Lt. Whiteside is the latest in the epidemic of attempted suicides and self-injuries by soldiers.
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WHAT THE HELL ARE WE PUTTING THEM THROUGH AND WHY ARE WE PUTTING THEM THROUGH HELL AT ALL?