Military suicide rate hit record high in 2012

[James Kovacich]

Really Sad. Obviously the result massive stress from these long term un-needed wars. It would of been differant if Bush truly finished the war in Afghanistan instead prematurely claiiming victory so he could invade Iraq.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...ary-suicide-rate-hit-record-high-in-2012?lite
Service members committed suicide during 2012 at a record pace: more than 349 took their own lives across the four branches, or one every 25 hours, a Department of Defense spokesperson confirmed Monday.

The Army sustained the heaviest suicide toll at 182, a dark tally that — as NBC News reported Jan. 3 — marked another frightening first as soldier suicides last year outpaced the 176 Army members who were killed in combat while serving Operation Enduring Freedom, according to Pentagon officials.

During 2012, there also were 60 suicides among active-duty members of the Navy, 59 in the Air Force and 48 in the Marine Corps. Throughout the U.S. military, suicides increased by nearly 16 percent from 2011 to 2012, figures show. The Department of Defense has been issuing annual reports that track suicides since 2008, said spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith.

 

[ballen0351]

Didn't we just swear Obama in for his second term meaning he already served one 4 year term. Pretty sure Obama could have ended these Wars if he wanted to. Get off Bush's Jock he hasn't had any power in 4 long hard years.

I would also suspect 349 military people in a year is well below the national average

 

[ballen0351]

I would also suspect 349 military people in a year is well below the national average

Looks like of you take the nation as a whole then the military numbers per 100000 are higher
If you only take the national average of people the same age demographic as the military 18 to 35. The military average is much lower

 

[Tez3]

Didn't we just swear Obama in for his second term meaning he already served one 4 year term. Pretty sure Obama could have ended these Wars if he wanted to. Get off Bush's Jock he hasn't had any power in 4 long hard years.

I would also suspect 349 military people in a year is well below the national average

Get off Bush's Jock? I get the gist of what you mean but I don't dare ask what Bush's Jock is!

Here, it's ex servicemen who are more in danger of committing suicide that those actually serving. And it is men rather than women.

However, India seems to have a big problem with service suicides with figures that dwarf America's.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17936070

 

[Makalakumu]

I think it's far more important to look at the suicide rate of veterans in general, rather than active duty military. The numbers are staggering, far worse for veterans that active duty.

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local-military/veteran-suicide-after-returning-home/nSPW5/

A drumbeat of media attention has accompanied the toll of active-duty suicides, along with a stack of official reports with titles like “Losing the Battle: The Challenge of Military Suicide” and growing alarm from the Department of Defense and Congress. Military suicides jumped about 50 percent between 2001 and 2008 and reached new highs this year: The 26 suicides in July more than doubled the Army’s total from the previous month. The Marines already have equaled their suicide total for all of 2011.
But veterans such as Rivas, who die after leaving the military, are not included in the death count of America’s wars. And no one — including the Department of Veterans Affairs — seems to know how many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are killing themselves after they are out of the service.
An American-Statesman investigation into the deaths of 266 Texans who served during the Iraq or Afghanistan wars show that 45 committed suicide, making it the fourth-leading cause of death behind illness, accidents and drug-related deaths. That percentage is more than four times higher than the general population: Suicide accounted for 3.6 percent of all Texas deaths over the same period, compared with 16.9 percent of the veterans the newspaper studied.

 

[arnisador]

It's a big concern for the military--I had to have a fair amount of training last summer in detecting and helping prevent suicidal behavior.

 

[ballen0351]

Get off Bush's Jock? I get the gist of what you mean but I don't dare ask what Bush's Jock is!

Here, it's ex servicemen who are more in danger of committing suicide that those actually serving. And it is men rather than women.

However, India seems to have a big problem with service suicides with figures that dwarf America's.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17936070

its vets here too Ive beeen to a few vet suicides in last few years

 

[ballen0351]

It's a big concern for the military--I had to have a fair amount of training last summer in detecting and helping prevent suicidal behavior.

Should be a big concern for all of us

 

[James Kovacich]

Pretty sure Obama could have ended these Wars if he wanted to. Get off Bush's Jock he hasn't had any power in 4 long hard years.

All I was trying to say is we could of done a better job from the get go. Iraq was a mistake. Afghanistan would of been a differant war if we didn't invade Iraq.

Actually Obama did end 1 war and he is getting close to ending the other. Its the Republicans that are barking about not ending the war to soon. Obama is doing exactly as he said he would do, end the wars.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

[K-man]

Get off Bush's Jock? I get the gist of what you mean but I don't dare ask what Bush's Jock is!

Here, it's ex servicemen who are more in danger of committing suicide that those actually serving. And it is men rather than women.

However, India seems to have a big problem with service suicides with figures that dwarf America's.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17936070

Think you might have misread the figures. India, 1362 since 2001 vs 349 per year for the US. :asian:

 

[celtic_crippler]

That's sad... A guy in my Flight hung himself with a sheet when I was in Basic. I didn't understand it because several people who couldn't hack it were given entry level discharges which in no way impacts the rest of their lives... never goes on record. There had to be something else going on in his head.

I hate to say it, and I know it's going to piss a lot of people off, but I can't help but wonder how much of it is related to the diminished discipline executed during their training. It was a lot different 20+years ago... and even then it was less disciplined than 10 years before that. They coddle a lot of these recruits now, comparitively speaking. So I wonder how many slip through the cracks that can't hack it that wouldn't have a few decades ago?

And by the way, Obama has escalated the wars since taking office so, yeah... get off Busch's jock. That's after he promised to end them all and bring our troops home (which I'm for 110%). Oh yeah... and Gitmo's still open too.

 

[Master Dan]

Didn't we just swear Obama in for his second term meaning he already served one 4 year term. Pretty sure Obama could have ended these Wars if he wanted to. Get off Bush's Jock he hasn't had any power in 4 long hard years.

I would also suspect 349 military people in a year is well below the national average

WEll if bush is so great why did he hide out the last 4 years not even his own party wanted him and his impact creating wars and economic devastations will last many decades I suppose you believe President Obama was born in Kenya? Long Live the King I hope we progress more this next 4 years and we increase Democrats in the house, Senate this next 4years.

 

[celtic_crippler]

WEll if bush is so great why did he hide out the last 4 years not even his own party wanted him and his impact creating wars and economic devastations will last many decades I suppose you believe President Obama was born in Kenya? Long Live the King I hope we progress more this next 4 years and we increase Democrats in the house, Senate this next 4years.

Talk about off topic...

Way to high jack a thread about a very serious issue to make a political statement. But hey, it's what Liberal Progressives do, right? Take advantage of tragedy to further their goals.

 

[Master Dan]

Talk about off topic...

Way to high jack a thread about a very serious issue to make a political statement. But hey, it's what Liberal Progressives do, right? Take advantage of tragedy to further their goals.

Off Topic?? Lets see what was said I commented on? Originally Posted by ballen0351 Didn't we just swear Obama in for his second term meaning he already served one 4 year term. Pretty sure Obama could have ended these Wars if he wanted to. Get off Bush's Jock he hasn't had any power in 4 long hard years.

I didn't start the politics but death all death in the military has always been about politics and who is what party is in power effects that so whats your point. The premise of the thread is correct the deaths are related to the bad situation our men are put in. Romney would have us marching into Iran and who knows what else.

 

[Master Dan]

By the way we have gone under Obama from 144,000 in Afghanistan to 200 and the Iraq war is over under Obama why would anyone defend Bush over Obama in this. Yes I would like to see him bring all the troops home and work on infrastructure and other necessities there is a budget cut I couls support.

 

[James Kovacich]

This thread isn't about Bush. I only made a point that Iraq didn't have to happen. We had over 10 members of our extended family (cousins kids) serve in Iraq and Afghanistan and the video that 1 of them brought back (from Iraq) was a shock. Our young family members went through a lot.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

[celtic_crippler]

This thread isn't about Bush. I only made a point that Iraq didn't have to happen. We had over 10 members of our extended family (cousins kids) serve in Iraq and Afghanistan and the video that 1 of them brought back (from Iraq) was a shock. Our young family members went through a lot.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

God bless them and I thank them for their service.

"War is hell"~ General Sherman

Which goes back to what I was alluding to in regards to how our troops are trained today. I really don't think they are as properly prepared mentally as they used to be.

 

[Big Don]

That's sad... A guy in my Flight

You were Air Farce?

Gee, maybe the stress level among the troops would be lower if there weren't so many a-holes screeching about "unnecessary wars".
Saying you support the troops and taking every chance to decry where they are serving, isn't supporting them.
Blaming everything on Bush is the worst kind of childishness, sadly, we can look FORWARD to at least four more years of it.
Where has Bush been for the past 4 years? He's retired and living his life privately. He and his wife, do take time to visit wounded troops.
Unlike Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, like his father, does not feel the need to see himself on TV every goddamn week.

 

[arnisador]

The rate of deployments is way up.

The threat of IEDs and other unexpected attacks is nerve-wracking.

The popular support for the wars is low.

All of this is bad for the troops' morale and mental state.

 

[Big Don]

Anyone who has ever used the words, "I support the troops, but..." deserves to be butt stroked.