The sad truth about military suicides

The sad truth about military suicides

Wounded Times Blog 

By Kathie Costos

June 7, 2013

The goal of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program is to ensure the strength of a soldier’s physical and physiological health – a valiant goal with a hefty price tag of $125 million, according to published reports. The fact is, suicides among soldiers and veterans are on the rise, and this cost is much higher than reports indicate. 

While researching my book, “The Warrior Saw, Suicides After War,” I was able to uncover billions of dollars that have been spent throughout this program’s existence.This should not come as a shock to anyone as many experts expressed concern with CSF from the start. There was fair warning in 2009 that if this program was implemented, we would see a rise in military suicides. Sadly, the facts prove the program is not working.

Last year resulted in the highest suicide rate in military history, according to the Department of Defense (DOD). In 2012, there were “182 potential active-duty suicides.”

Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly (D) lamented about how 43% of the servicemembers did not seek help before committing suicide.  This means that 57% of the servicemembers did seek help before committing suicide.

The DOD also stated that in 2012 there were “143 potential not on active-duty suicides (96 Army National Guard and 47 Army Reserve). When the media cited “349” suicides they included incidents in the Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force but they left the ‘not on active-duty’ numbers out. Should they matter? Yes. From 2001 to 2005 National Guardsmen and Reservists were 28% of the deployed forces but 53% of the suicides.

The DOD stated that “In spite of the increased loss of life to suicide, with calendar year 2012 being our highest on record, the Army is confident that through our continued emphasis in the services, programs, policies, and training that support our Army family, we will overcome this threat to our Force.”

The media has been accepting statements like this as reality but the truth is far from it. Where is Congress on all of this now? Has anything really changed from what we knew would occur years ago?

In 2005 Senator Obama sat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and spoke about the VA billion-dollar budget shortfall when Jim Nicholson was Secretary of Veterans Affairs. "I don't think anyone wants to look a returning soldier in the eye who fought and bled for our country and say 'sorry, but when it comes to getting health care, you're on your own,'” said Obama.

This is one case where the actions have not followed the ‘words.’ According to the American Federation of Government Employees, “the VA employed 1,392 Veterans Service Representatives in June 2007, compared to 1,516 in January 2003.“

And consider this. A 2008 published report via Gannett News Service stated that “Overall, the Army’s Medical Corps has downsized significantly since the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s, dropping from 5,400 to 4,300 physicians and from 4,600 to 3,400 nurses.”

The downsize also ended a beleaguered two-year tenure in which former VA Secretary Jim Nicholson repeatedly fought off calls for his resignation over the VA's unexpected $1.3 billion shortfall in 2005 that put health care at risk.

The DOD issued a Suicide Event Report, which states that in 2011 “There were 935 attempted suicides in the military with 915 individuals trying to kill themselves.  896 tried once, 18 tried twice and 1 tried three times. “

They have not released the final report for 2012 but we have already been warned the numbers are likely to go up once they compile the data.

“DOD officials saw leveling in suicide rates for 2010 and 2011,” Jacqueline Garrick, acting director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, 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.”

In the next two years the DOD will most likely say that military suicides have gone down, but that will be due to the decrease in forces and the withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

We will continue to see a drastic increase in veteran suicides unless we change our approach. It’s time to take action.

About Kathie Costos
Chaplain Kathie Costos is the author of “The Warrior Saw, Suicides After War,” and “For the Love of Jack His War/My Battle: Finding Peace With Combat PTSD," a true story on her family's struggle with the disorder. Costos is married to a Vietnam veteran with PTSD, and has dedicated 30+ years to the cause.

She developed the Wounded Times Blog in 2007 to serve as a resource for veterans and their families dealing with PTSD. Learn more at Wounded Times.