Data shows researchers didn't want to tie combat to military suicides

Whenever you read a news report on what "researchers" found, you really need to read it before just repeating it. The problem is reporters tend to forget the human factor in research. The end result always meets what they are looking for. Just because they avoid what other researchers have done, does not make them right and it would be great if reporters actually told the other side of the what research has produced.

Mental disorders, not combat, tied to military suicide
By Genevra Pittman
NEW YORK
Tue Aug 6, 2013

(Reuters Health) - Mental disorders including depression and alcohol abuse were linked to a higher risk of suicide among current and former military personnel, in a new study - but combat exposure and number of deployments were not.

Researchers said the analysis of 83 suicides between 2001 and 2008 does not support the assumption that experiences in combat - such as seeing dead bodies or firing a gun - and time spent in a war zone are directly tied to a higher suicide risk.
read more here

Oh really?

DEPLOYMENT: The suicide rate was highest among those who are currently deployed (18.3 deaths per 100,000) and dropped after deployment (15.9 per 100,000). For the entire TAIHOD dataset (from 2004 through 2008), 23 percent of the soldiers studied were currently deployed, 42 percent had never been deployed and 35 percent had been previously deployed but were not currently deployed. (Army STARRS Preliminary Data Reveal Some Potential Predictive Factors for Suicide March 22, 2011)

This report actually has the numbers of suicides WHILE deployed. This does not even begin to address the number of attempted suicides.

2003 Army 79 26 while deployed
2004 Army 67 13 while deployed
2005 Army 87 25 while deployed
2006 Army 99 30 while deployed
(Army Suicide Prevention Program Fact Sheet, Army Public Affairs, August 17, 2007)
2007 Army 115 36 while deployed (50 deployed prior to suicide and 29 not deployed)

Guess it depends on what the "researchers" are looking for and where they get it.