Marine Corps ends 2011 with record number of suicide attempts

MILITARY: Marine Corps ends 2011 with record number of suicide attempts
By MARK WALKER
Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Marine Corps ended 2011 with 175 suicide attempts among its active-duty troops, the highest number ever recorded.

Thirty-three Marines committed suicide during the year, down from 37 reported in 2010, according to the latest report from service's Suicide Prevention Program.

The 175 attempted suicides were three more than the 172 recorded in 2010 and more than twice the 82 recorded in 2002, the first year the Marine Corps began keeping a detailed count of the grim statistic.

Suicide attempts jumped dramatically between 2007 and 2008, going from 103 to 146.

Officials have not been able to fully explain the increase other than to point to stress from multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

At least 11 Marines who took their own lives last year were stationed at Camp Pendleton or assigned to a unit headquartered at the base, officials recently confirmed.
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