Suicide Toll Fuels Worry That Army Is Strained

Photo from Welt Online

From The Wall Street Journal:

Sixteen American soldiers killed themselves in October in the U.S. and on duty overseas, an unusually high monthly toll that is fueling concerns about the mental health of the nation's military personnel after more than eight years of continuous warfare.

The October suicide figures mean that at least 134 active-duty soldiers have taken their own lives so far this year, putting the Army on pace to break last year's record of 140 active-duty suicides. The number of Army suicides has risen 37% since 2006, and last year, the suicide rate surpassed that of the U.S. population for the first time.

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My Comment: Usually it is the vets who are out of the military that commit suicide. This focus on actively serving personnel illustrates what many psychiatrists have been fearing for a long time .... prolong active duty in war zones carries with it a cost in terms of family disruption, stress, and depression, culminating for some in suicide.