Fort Hood Commanding General says suicides in decline?

I stopped playing nice a long time ago.

Sgt. Brett M. Wessel, a 26-year-old married male, was apprehended by Fort Hood military police Sept. 1 in connection with the death of retired Sgt. Ryan F. Dickinson on West Fort Hood. "A retired Army sergeant from Ronkonkoma who helped clear roadside bombs in Iraq was shot to death on a Texas Army base early Sunday after an altercation with another soldier at a barbecue, his sister said Tuesday night."

Police said Cpl. Tyler Pimpis died Wednesday, Aug. 28, in a collision with a pickup truck. Pimpis, who wasn't wearing a helmet, was ejected from the motorcycle.

Two Fort Hood Soldiers died in lakes same weekend. Christopher Kent Heinz was with a group of about nine other soldiers at River’s Bend Park off Farm-to-Market 2484, according to the sheriff’s department. Pfc. Jackson Cole Taylor-Smith, 21, of Kansas City, Mo., entered active duty service in April 2011 as an indirect fire infantryman.

A Fort Hood soldier has been identified as the man who killed one Killeen police officer and wounded another on Saturday. 24 year old Dustin Cole was identified as the deceased suspect in the July 13 shootout that killed a Killeen officer and wounded another. Robert (Bobby) Hornsby was killed in the shootout and Juan E. Obregon Jr. was wounded.

Capt. Anthony Martinez was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, had insomnia and eventually deteriorated in mental health to the point of suicidal thoughts. He was redeployed anyway. “I was so overwhelmed,” Martinez said. “On many nights I would go to my [room] and I thought about killing myself. Even loaded my gun.”

Fort Hood Pilot said "I don't know how to live in this world" before suicide. Becca got home a few hours later. She walked into their bedroom and found his body surrounded by blood, a handgun lying nearby.

U.S. Army Spc. Christian Estrada. The former soldier, who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, died June 5 in his apartment in Killeen, Texas, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, his family said.

Stephan Lemar Hicks, 24, was being held Friday morning in the Killeen City Jail after he turned himself in Thursday when he learned a warrant for his arrest had been issued in connection with the accidental shooting of his 2-year-old daughter on May 31.

Specialist Sherman Scott Henry, 40, from Jonesville, S.C, body found at home. He entered the military as a field artillery automated tactical data systems specialist in January 2010.

Spc. Matthew Scott Patton, 23, of Bristol, R.I. died on May 13 of a gunshot wound while on leave in Lexington, N.C., Fort Hood said Friday.

1st Lt. Michael Skylar-Jones Pegues died from his injuries in a wreck that occurred near the intersection of Edgefield and Robinett. Police responded to the scene at 12:26 a.m. on Sunday after receiving a call from a witness. When officers arrived, they found the 24-year-old Pegues in a drainage ditch on the west side of Robinett.

Spc. Elliot Rafael Davis, 26, of Georgia, was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at his Bell County home just after 7 a.m. Sunday.

Sgt. Clayton Michael Willey, 24, of Maryland, died from injuries sustained at an off-post residence, a Fort Hood spokesperson said.

Joseph E. McDonald, 23, died as a result of his injuries. A DPS Trooper said the man was a Fort Hood soldier and was riding with several other motorcyclists when the accident happened.

28-year-old Army corporal from Fort Riley, Kan., was found dead amid blood and flower petals in a Colorado motel room, apparently after a Valentine’s Day quarrel with her soldier boyfriend, according to a court document released Tuesday. The body of Cpl. Kimberly Walker was found Sunday in Colorado Springs, police said. Army Sgt. Montrell Lamar Anderson Mayo, who is stationed at Fort Carson outside Colorado Springs, surrendered later that day to police in Greenville, N.C.

These are not all the stories out there because no one has all of them. It is easy to hide most of what is going on, because as the General mentions, there are discharges all the time and they are suffering but don't have to be counted by the military any longer.

Fort Hood: Leaders Address Suicide; Incidence Declines
Our Town Texas
By: Rachel Cox
September 10, 2013

FORT HOOD (September 10, 2013) --- The commander of Fort Hood addressed suicide prevention on post Tuesday as new numbers showed suicides are down.

Fort Hood Commanding General Anthony Ierardi said there is still work to do to create an environment at Fort Hood in which soldiers feel comfortable speaking out about the issue.

This year five Fort Hood soldiers have taken their own lives and the death of a sixth is under investigation.

In 2012, there were 20 suicides involving Fort Hood soldiers.

Ierardi credited the decrease to added programs on post and those within units.

He also stressed the importance of suicide prevention for veterans in light of an event that happened Monday at the Temple VA

A veteran tried to commit suicide at the Temple facility was still in the ICU at Scott & White Hospital in Temple Tuesday afternoon.

"We must prepare soldiers for the transition into civilian life including the services that are available for them after their service. I'm aware of soldiers that have left our units here at Fort Hood and have struggled after they left here I've received letters and calls from parents so yes, it's a responsibility that we have," Ierardi said.
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