Military families cope with suicides

The military Suicide Event Report for 2012 has not been released yet. It is a comprehensive collection from all branches of the military including National Guards and Reservists. It also has attempted suicides along with just about everything else except what it does to the families. The DOD has not released the numbers for Soldiers, National Guardsmen or Reservists for May yet, even though they are supposed to release it every month. While there is no way to know where Howard Altman got his numbers from, since they cannot be verified yet, these numbers are not out of whack with what most of us are expecting to see. According to Altman, there were 515 for 2012 and so far this year, 168. Usually what happens is reporters do not get all branches in the numbers they are given. Unless they look at all the data with the numbers, they have no way of knowing for sure.

When you look up the Army suicide numbers for the last release in May, for numbers up to April, this is what you'll find.

Army Releases April 2013 Suicide Information

The Army released suicide data today for the month of April 2013. During April, among active-duty soldiers, there were 11 potential suicides: one has been confirmed as a suicide and 10 remain under investigation. For March 2013, the Army reported 10 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers; six have been confirmed as suicides and four are under investigation. For 2013, there have been 52 potential active-duty suicides: 22 have been confirmed as suicides and 30 remain under investigation. Updated active-duty suicide numbers for 2012: 184 (159 have been confirmed as suicides and 25 remain under investigation).

During April 2013, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 16 potential suicides (13 Army National Guard and 3 Army Reserve): none have been confirmed as suicides and 16 remain under investigation. For March 2013, among that same group, the Army reported 12 potential suicides; however, subsequent to the report, another case was added bringing March’s total to 13 (nine Army National Guard and four Army Reserve): none have been confirmed as suicides and 13 cases remain under investigation. For 2013, there have been 57 potential not on active duty suicides (36 Army National Guard and 21 Army Reserve): 21 have been confirmed as suicides and 36 remain under investigation. Updated not on active duty suicide numbers for 2012: 140 (93 Army National Guard and 47 Army Reserve); 138 have been confirmed as suicides and two remain under investigation.

Military families cope with suicides
Tampa Tribune
By Howard Altman
Tribune Staff
Published: July 7, 2013

The women get up on a hot Saturday morning in April for the long ride to Tampa.

One is making a 130-mile drive from Astor, and the other is traveling 40 miles from Dade City.

Though they are coming from different places, their paths to a Tampa ceremony honoring fallen troops is remarkably similar.

Each lost an Army son to suicide last summer. Each is suffering despair, what they say is a stigma that comes with a child who takes his own life and anger at the Army for failing to do more to prevent the deaths.

They are not alone in their misery.

More U.S. troops are dying by their own hand than by the enemy's. There were 488 confirmed suicides last year and another 27 suspected, compared with 298 deaths in combat.

The trend is continuing this year - 102 confirmed and 66 suspected suicides, compared with 75 combat deaths.

Deemed by the Army to be fit for service, LaDart began helicopter mechanic training at Fort Eustis in Virginia. His problems continued to the point that he was disciplined and demoted. He then referred himself to military behavioral health providers, who once again diagnosed him with PTSD and ADHD and started a treatment program. The Army then sent him to Germany as a tactical vehicle driver.

Things continued to deteriorate, though. LaDart threatened a superior. He expressed thoughts of killing himself and others and told his commander that he tried suicide before, Army records say. But under what the Army calls "intense care," LaDart's mental health improved. He was promoted to specialist and won the Soldier of the Month competition.

"Absent PTSD symptoms, he was returned to duty," Army records show.

Things started looking up for LaDart. He was assigned to Ft. Belvoir in Virginia in September 2011. In April 2012, he completed the Army Warrior Leadership Course, "an important developmental career step," according to the Army. But a few weeks later, his life cratered again.

A domestic dispute with his wife led to his removal from the home. A protective order was issued against him and the Army considered more discipline. His commander requested a mental health evaluation. Medical officials at the fort's hospital reviewed LaDart's recent mental evaluation and determined he was not a threat to himself or others. He kept his next mental health appointment on May 29, 2012, made no mention of suicide and talked about the future.

On June 4, LaDart arrived at work "without any outward display of distress," Army records say. "He returned to his family quarters during lunch and had a phone conversation with his wife in Louisiana. Tragically, David hanged himself in the garage without leaving a suicide note."

He was 25.
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Billions spent and no one held accountable? Want to know more? Then read THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR.