Forbes business writer should have stayed out of clueless claim

First read who wrote the article I am about to attack. "Tim Worstall, Contributor I write about business and technology." He should have stuck to writing about the things he knows about and stayed away from something he doesn't have a ------- clue about. Yes, I left the letters out but if you can count I am sure you can figure out what was on my mind.

This is his headline

But There Isn't An Epidemic Of Suicide In The US Military

I was very surprised to see this headline in The Guardian today:

US military struggling to stop suicide epidemic among war veterans

It’s not all that unusual for The Guardian to snipe at the US military of course, but something about the way the subject was being treated puzzled me.

Is this a story about how much better military medicine has got or one about how the system is driving huge numbers into suicide? The way the paper tells the story it’s that there is indeed some epidemic of suicide sweeping through the ranks of the military and veterans. And my problem is that having looked at the numbers I just don’t see it.

I should of course point out that any and every suicide is a tragedy. Both for the person dying and for those they leave behind. And I would go on and insist that just one suicide is one too many. However, it’s also necessary to note that suicide does indeed happen in all walks of life. What we need to know is whether there are more than the normal number in one specific profession or occupation. Only then can we start to argue that there’s something specific to that occupation that leads to suicide.

Apparently he knows about as much about the business behind addressing the epidemic of suicides tied to the military as he does about history. He doesn't seem to have a clue how much money the military has been spending on addressing this non-existant issue. BILLIONS A YEAR ARE SPENT BECAUSE THERE IS A CRISIS!

If you want to know what the crisis is, how much was spent or what can be done to stop them, read THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR and know what this "business" writer can't seem to understand. By the way my friends in the UK military are dealing with the same problem, and Canada and Australia but they are looking to the US for leadership on this.

Worstall used this quote

In 2012, for the first time in at least a generation, the number of active-duty soldiers who killed themselves, 177, exceeded the 176 who were killed while in the war zone. To put that another way, more of America’s serving soldiers died at their own hands than in pursuit of the enemy.

This is a better one.

Officials Uphold Commitment to Suicide Prevention Solutions
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2013 – A panel of Defense Department and service officials told Congress today their efforts to address military suicides will persist.

Jacqueline Garrick, acting director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, told the House Armed Services Committee’s military personnel subcommittee the service member suicide rate had increased from 10.3 to 18.3 per 100,000.

For 2010, Garrick said, the U.S. suicide rate for males, ages 17 to 60 – an age demographic that best matches the armed forces -- was 25.1 per 100,000, which rose from 21.8 per 100,000 in 2001.

“DOD fervently believes that every one life lost to suicide is one too many, and prevention is everybody’s responsibility,” she said. “This fight will take enormous collective action and the implementation of proven and effective initiatives.”

Garrick and service representatives outlined how their programs incorporate the latest research and information on suicide prevention and how leaders are tackling the problem. “While physical injuries may be easier to see, there are many invisible wounds such as depression, anxiety [and] post-traumatic stress that also take a significant toll on our service members,” said Lt. Gen. Howard B. Bromberg, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for personnel. “ … Suicidal behavior is an urgent national problem that affects all Americans across all dimensions of society, including those who have chosen to serve the nation.”

DOD officials saw leveling in suicide rates for 2010 and 2011, Garrick told the House panel, but they expect an increase in the suicide rate for 2012 upon the completion of investigations and final determinations of manner of death.

But then again he also used the wrong numbers

Army Releases December 2012 and Calendar Year 2012 Suicide Information

The Army released suicide data today for the month of December and calendar year 2012. During December, among active-duty soldiers, there were seven potential suicides: three have been confirmed as suicides and four remain under investigation. For November, the Army reported 12 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers: four have been confirmed as suicides and eight remain under investigation. For 2012, there have been 182 potential active-duty suicides: 130 have been confirmed as suicides and 52 remain under investigation. Active-duty suicide number for 2011: 165 confirmed as suicides and no cases under investigation.

During December, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 15 potential suicides (10 Army National Guard and five Army Reserve): four have been confirmed as suicides and 11 remain under investigation. For November, among that same group, the Army reported 15 potential suicides (12 Army National Guard and three Army Reserve): 10 have been confirmed as suicides and five remain under investigation. For 2012, there have been 143 potential not on active-duty suicides (96 Army National Guard and 47 Army Reserve): 117 have been confirmed as suicides and 26 remain under investigation. Not on active-duty suicide numbers for 2011: 118 (82 Army National Guard and 36 Army Reserve) confirmed as suicides and no cases under investigation.