Troops Can't Count on Us Counting Them?

Troops Can't Count on Us Counting Them?
Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
October 9, 2017

In 2013 I posted a question, "Who is responsible for military suicides now?" I am still waiting for an answer. As we keep reading about more and more, who put the lives of others ahead of their own, taking their own life, no one seems accountable.

We are now on the 3rd President in the chair of Commander-in-Chief since the War on Terror began. As the number of suicides went up, so did spending on "prevention" attempts. 

Members of Congress kept writing, passing and funding Bills because the chatter was about "one suicide is one too many" but no one seemed to be able to explain exactly what that was supposed to mean.

This is what Congress should have been seeing within the suicide numbers all along but they didn't bother to look.

• 2012 Active Duty 321 Reserve 204 Total 525

DoD Active Duty military personnel (1,388,028)

Killed in Afghanistan 310 Killed in Iraq 1 Total 311

• 2013 Active Duty 256 Reserve 220 Total 476

DoD Active Duty military personnel (1,370,329)

-17,699 from previous year

Killed in Afghanistan 127 Killed in Iraq 0 Total 127

• 2014 Active Duty 274 Reserve 170 Total 444

DoD Active Duty military personnel (1,326,273)

-44,056 from previous year

Killed in Afghanistan 55 Killed in Iraq 3 Total 58

• 2015 Active Duty 266 Reserve 212 Total 478

DoD Active Duty military personnel (1,301,443)

-24,830 from previous year

Killed in Afghanistan 22 Killed in Iraq 6 Total 28

Total reduction in Active Duty -86,585

• 2016 Active Duty 276 Reserve 203 Total 479

Killed in Afghanistan 14 Killed in Iraq 17 Total 31

The 4th Quarter of 2017 has already begun, however, the DOD has not released the 2nd Quarter Suicide Report. If it has, I have not found it. 

With that, this is the breakdown with 1st Quarter reports going back to 2013.

First Quarter 

2017 

Active Duty 71

Reserve 51

Total 122

2016

Active Duty 62

Reserve 56

Total 118

2015

Active Duty 60

Reserve 42

Total 102

2014

Active Duty 73

Reserve 46

Total 119

2013

Active Duty 61

Reserve 56

Total 117

Enlisted

2012

Overview of Military Personnel The total number of military personnel is over 3.6 million strong, including DoD Active Duty military personnel (1,388,028); DHS’s Active Duty Coast Guard members (41,849); DoD Ready Reserve and DHS Coast Guard Reserve members (1,086,447); members of the Retired Reserve (212,314) and Standby Reserve (16,327); and DoD appropriated and non-appropriated fund civilian personnel (907,121). DoD’s Active Duty and DHS’s Coast Guard Active Duty members comprise the largest portion of the military force (39.2%), followed by Ready Reserve members (29.7%) and DoD civilian personnel (24.8%). 

2013

Overview of Military Personnel The total number of military personnel is over 3.6 million strong, including DoD Active Duty military personnel (1,370,329); DHS’s Active Duty Coast Guard members (40,420); DoD Ready Reserve and DHS Coast Guard Reserve members (1,102,419); members of the Retired Reserve (214,938) and Standby Reserve (14,408); and DoD appropriated and non-appropriated fund civilian personnel (874,054). DoD’s Active Duty and DHS’s Coast Guard Active Duty members comprise the largest portion of the military force (39.0%), followed by Ready Reserve members (30.5%) and DoD civilian personnel (24.2%). 

2014

Overview of Military Personnel The total number of military personnel is over 3.5 million strong, including DoD Active Duty military personnel (1,326,273); DHS’s Active Duty Coast Guard members (39,454); DoD Ready Reserve and DHS Coast Guard Reserve members (1,101,939); members of the Retired Reserve (214,784) and Standby Reserve (13,700); and DoD appropriated and non-appropriated fund civilian personnel (856,484). DoD’s Active Duty and DHS’s Coast Guard Active Duty members comprise the largest portion of the military force (38.4%), followed by Ready Reserve members (31.0%) and DoD civilian personnel (24.1%)

2015

Overview of Military Personnel The total number of military personnel is over 3.5 million strong, including DoD Active Duty military personnel (1,301,443); DHS’s Active Duty Coast Guard members (39,090); DoD Ready Reserve and DHS Coast Guard Reserve members (1,101,353); members of the Retired Reserve (216,370) and Standby Reserve (9,899); and DoD Appropriated and Non-Appropriated Funds civilian personnel (865,019). DoD’s Active Duty and DHS’s Coast Guard Active Duty members comprise the largest portion of the military force (37.9%), followed by Ready Reserve members (31.2%) and DoD civilian personnel (24.5%).

2016

By Oct. 1, the Army must hit its target of 476,000 active duty soldiers, up from the previous goal of 460,000. Increased recruiting along with retention of more soldiers will make up the gap. President Trump has said he wants an even larger force — as many as 60,000 more soldiers.

The Air Force and Navy also are boosting their ranks. The Air Force plans to recruit and retain more airmen to meet its goal of 321,000 service members by Oct. 1, up 4,000 from its current total of 317,000, said Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman. The Navy plans to add 2,200 recruits this fiscal year, according to Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman. The Navy has a target of 323,900 sailors for this year. The Marine Corps could add nearly 800 Marines this year to hit its target of 185,000, said Yvonne Carlock, a Marine spokeswoman.

Now you see the numbers for yourself. The number of enlisted went down, as suicides increased or remained fairly level.

The numbers are what they are but for all the "awareness" being talked about, no one thought about those who committed suicide while serving this country.

Now you see it, but, what do you plan on doing about it?

Here is the info on the Armed Forces Committees

Senate Armed Services Committee

House Armed Services Committee

Department of Defense Quarterly Suicide Report

Icasualties

UPDATE

Here are few more things you should know. First, every member of the military is trained in "prevention" but the DOD points out most suicides happen to "non deployed" but never seem to explain why this prevention did not work for them. If it wasn't good enough for non-deployed, how did they expect it to work on those sent back multiple times?

2008 Army created suicide prevention board 
Battlemind Bullshit

2010 900 Suicide prevention programs across 400 military installations

2012 Wounded Times Told You Resiliency Doesn't Work

2013 List of Resiliency Programs Review by Rand Corp