VFW Brass wants to stop suicides of soldiers

VFW brass addressing vets' issues


BY RICK FULTON
Times Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:07 PM EDT
Among the many aspects of military and military family support provided by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is that of finding ways to reduce the suicide rate among soldiers.

National VFW Commander-in-Chief, Thomas Tradewell, attending this week's convention of the Pennsylvania Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in Cumberland Township, told the Times that suicide among military personnel has been determined to be highest among redeployed soldiers ... those being sent back to Iraq or Afghanistan for a second or third tour of duty.

Pennsylvania Commander VFW Commander Frank Mills said, "For the longest time, we lost a lot of members (veterans) to suicide."

"At one time," he said Wednesday, "there were more (military) suicides in one month than the number of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in the same month."

The VFW, he said, "began pressing the VA (federal Department of Veterans Affairs) to find out more about post-traumatic stress and crises prevention."
read more here
http://www.gettysburgtimes.com/articles/2010/06/16/news/2674434.txt

also

Army Releases May Suicide Data
Jun 15, 2010

By George Wright
OCPA Media Relations

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 15, 2010) — The Army released suicide data today for the month of May. Among active-duty soldiers, there were nine potential suicides, and all remain under investigation. For April, the Army reported 10 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, four have been confirmed as suicides, and six remain under investigation.

During May 2010, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 12 potential suicides: two have been confirmed and 10 remain under investigation. For April, among that same group, there were seven total suicides. Of those, two were confirmed as suicides and five are pending determination of the manner of death.

"The summer season traditionally represents the Army's peak transition timeframe as soldiers, families and Department of the Army civilians relocate between commands and installations," said Col. Chris Philbrick, Director, Army Suicide Prevention Task Force. "This turbulent period often compounds the amount of stress faced by our Army and members of the Army family. Everyone needs to know that despite an increase of anxiety or pressure, help is readily available, especially during these transition periods."
read more here
Army Releases May Suicide Data