Army suicides up 13% over last year to 115
The Army just released the following report about the devastating toll of war upon our soldiers:
Army suicides reported up again _ at 115
By PAULINE JELINEK – 57 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Army suicides increased again last year, amid the most violent year yet in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
An Army official said Thursday that 115 troops committed suicide in 2007, a nearly 13 percent increase over the previous year’s 102. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because a full report on the deaths wasn’t being released until later Thursday.
About a quarter of the deaths occurred in Iraq.
I’m going to write more on this topic later. I just wanted to put it up here to highlight the increasing strain put upon our soldiers. It is imperative that we elect leaders this fall who will get us out of Iraq. Our soldiers are sending us this message in more ways than one…115 ways, to be exact.
Sad, especially since the active-duty suicide rate is just the tip of the iceberg — it’s after the vets come home that the suicide rate really goes up.
Yes, it can be years later and yet their benefits run out and many cannot get the treatment they need. I have another report up about this right now. Many of the suicides (50%) are the result of failed relationships.