Parents of Two Soldiers Who Took Their Own Lives Speak Out

Parents of Two Soldiers Who Took Their Own Lives Still Waiting for a Letter from Obama
A new US Army report finds the rate of suicide by soldiers in the Army has risen above the civilian rate for the first time since Vietnam.
August 9, 2010 LIKE THIS ARTICLE ?
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Petitions by Change.orgGet WidgetStart a Petition » Democracy Now! Co-host Juan Gonzalez: Soldier suicides are on the rise in America. In June alone, at least thirty-two active-duty and reserve officers took their own lives, the highest monthly figure since record keeping began. Meanwhile, a new US Army report has found that the rate of suicide by soldiers in the Army has risen above the civilian rate for the first time since the Vietnam War. In 2009, 160 soldiers committed suicide; another 146 died by other violent means, such as murder, drug abuse or reckless driving while drunk; another 1,700 attempted suicide. The report faulted commanders for ignoring rising mental health, drug and crime issues among soldiers. One-third of soldiers take at least one prescription drug, and 14 percent are on some form of powerful painkiller.

President Obama briefly addressed the issue of soldier suicides and post-traumatic stress syndrome, or PTSD, in a speech on Monday at the Disabled American Veterans national convention in Atlanta.
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Parents of Two Soldiers Who Took Their Own Lives