U.S. military suicides hit record in 2012, outpace combat deaths

[PMedMoe]

Article Link

The number of U.S. troops committing suicide set a record in 2012, exceeding the number of combat deaths, the Pentagon said on Monday.

The Pentagon said 349 active-duty troops killed themselves in 2012, up more than 15 percent from 2011 despite renewed efforts by the military to stem the suicide rate.

“This is an epidemic that cannot be ignored,” said Senator Patty Murray, who championed legislation last year to improve suicide prevention efforts and mental health care for troops and veterans.

“As our newest generation of servicemembers and veterans face unprecedented challenges, today’s news shows we must be doing more to ensure they are not slipping through the cracks.”

The Army, as the largest service, counted the biggest number of suicides, with 182 soldiers killing themselves in 2012, according to preliminary figures. The Navy had 60 suicides, the Air Force had 59 and the Marines had 48.

The figures were first reported by the Associated Press.

More at link

 

[cupper]

Heard an interview on NPR yesterday about the same thing.

Interesting point, as many as 1/3 of the suicides were by members who never deployed. It seems that there is no clear link to deployment to a combat zone and suicide numbers, which is counter-intuitive to what one may expect.

Transcript at the link:  http://www.npr.org/2013/01/14/169363311/military-suicides-hit-record-high-in-2012

 

[Journeyman]

Interesting point, as many as 1/3 of the suicides were by members who never deployed. It seems that there is no clear link to deployment to a combat zone and suicide numbers, which is counter-intuitive to what one may expect.

Is there a potential linkage between pre-existing psychological status and the reason they didn't deploy?  ie - did they DAG red for family, financial, any number of stress-causing reasons, which may have left them pre-disposed to suicide, or where they not in a position to have deployed and so it's not a factor at all?

 

[cupper]

Is there a potential linkage between pre-existing psychological status and the reason they didn't deploy?  ie - did they DAG red for family, financial, any number of stress-causing reasons, which may have left them pre-disposed to suicide, or where they not in a position to have deployed and so it's not a factor at all?

From the transcript:

BOWMAN: Well, it's really complicated, and they're finding out that a suicide isn't simply connected to deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan. And you'd think there'd be a clear link here, but there isn't. Now, many who took their own lives did see combat, but a large number, a third or more of those who commit suicide never deployed. So why? It's often they're finding failed relationships, financial burdens, of course, made worse by the poor economy recently, and you also have problems at home or just adjusting back to domestic life.

 

[Journeyman]

From the transcript:

Yes, I read that  (even without the enlarged font).

I was simply asking if, for any percentage of that 1/3 who didn't deploy, was it because those stressors cited precluded them from deploying before their suicide...or were they simply not in the roto stream for a tour. 

 

[cupper]

Sorry.

Good point that you raise though.

I found this in the DOD 2011 report:

http://t2health.org/sites/default/files/dodser/DoDSER_2011_Annual_Report.pdf

Clinical Health Factors

• A prior history of self-injurious behavior was reported for 38 suicide decedents (13.24%) and 268 suicide attempts (28.66%).

• The majority of Service Members who died by suicide (n = 158, 55.05%) did not have a known history of a behavioral health disorder. Mood disorders were reported for 57 decedents (19.86%); the most frequently reported mood disorder was major depressive disorder (n = 32, 11.15%). Forty-seven decedents (16.38%) were known to have had an anxiety disorder, most frequently post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; n =18, 6.27%). Approximately one-fourth of Service Members who died by suicide had a known history of substance abuse (n = 69, 24.04%).

• The majority of Service Members who attempted suicide had a known history of a behavioral health disorder (n = 604, 64.60%). Mood disorders were reported in 322 suicide attempt DoDSERs (34.44%), most frequently major depressive disorder (n = 194, 20.75%). Approximately one-fourth of DoDSERs for suicide attempts (n = 241, 25.78%) reported diagnoses of anxiety disorders, the most frequent were PTSD (n = 115, 12.30%), followed by other anxiety disorders (n = 91, 9.73%). More than one-fourth (n = 256,
27.38%) had a known history of substance abuse.

• Known use of psychotropic medication was reported more frequently for suicide attempts (n = 400, 42.78%) compared to suicides (n = 75, 26.13%). Antidepressants were the most frequently used psychotropic medication among suicide decedents (n = 64, 22.30%) and those who attempted suicide (n =342, 36.58%).

• DoDSERs indicated that 48 decedents (16.72%) had received outpatient behavioral health services within the month prior to suicide. Service Members who attempted suicide used outpatient behavioral health services more frequently (n = 570, 60.96%) than those who died by suicide (n = 114, 39.72%).

Deployment Factors

• A minority of suicides (n = 29, 10.10%) and suicide attempts (n = 23, 2.46%) occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) deployments. There were 18 (6.27%) suicides in OEF locations and 11 (3.83%) in OND locations.

• Nearly one-half of suicide decedents had a history of OEF, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), or OND deployment (n = 134, 46.69%), and twenty-three of these (8.01%) had a history of multiple deployments. Suicide attempt DoDSERs reported more previous deployments than did suicide DoDSERs (n = 377, 40.32%).

• Direct combat experience was reported for 44 suicide decedents (15.33%) and 158 suicide attempts (16.90%).


Some other resources are on this site:

http://themilitarysuicidereport.wordpress.com/

 

[old medic]

325 Army suicides in 2012 a record
By Tom Watkins and Maggie Schneider, CNN
02 Feb 2013
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/02/us/army-suicides/index.html

(CNN) -- The U.S. Army reported Thursday that there were 325 confirmed or potential suicides last year among active and nonactive military personnel.

"Our highest on record," said Lt. Gen. Howard Bromberg, deputy chief of staff, manpower and personnel for the Army.

The grim total exceeds the number of total U.S. Army deaths (219) and total military deaths (313) in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, according to figures published by the military's Defense Casualty Analysis System.

For all of last year, 182 potential active-duty suicides were reported, 130 of which have been confirmed and 52 of which remain under investigation, it said.

And 143 potential not-on-active-duty suicides were reported (96 Army National Guard and 47 Army Reserve), 117 of which have been confirmed and 26 remain under investigation.

The total for 2011 was 283 -- 165 confirmed active-duty suicides and 118 confirmed not-on-active-duty suicides (82 Army National Guard and 36 Army Reserve). No cases were under investigation.

The toll comes despite what the military touts as extensive support and counseling programs.

"The Army continues to take aggressive measures head-on to meet the challenge of suicides as every loss of life impacts our family," said Bromberg. "In spite of the increased loss of life to suicide, with calendar year 2012 being our highest on record, the Army is confident that through our continued emphasis in the services, programs, policies and training that support our Army family, we will overcome this threat to our Force."

...Continues at link

 

[Staff Weenie]

Tragic, absolutely tragic.

Even worse, this represents numbers from the Army only. I wonder what the losses are from the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps? And, how many uniformed personnel have attempted suicide, or seriously contemplated it in 2012?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Tragic, absolutely tragic.

Even worse, this represents numbers from the Army only. I wonder what the losses are from the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps? And, how many uniformed personnel have attempted suicide, or seriously contemplated it in 2012?

Double or triple the numbers in the Civil War, apparently:

http://nation.time.com/2012/08/06/new-study-u-s-military-suicide-rate-now-likely-double-or-triple-civil-wars/

 

[BeyondTheNow]

MODs: I apologize if this is not the most appropriate location for this post. Please feel free to move accordingly if you feel it better placed elsewhere.

_____________________________

I came across this article today and appreciated the very personal nature of the writing. Thoughts for his family and loved ones, as well as for those who may be experiencing the same struggles.


http://gawker.com/i-am-sorry-that-it-has-come-to-this-a-soldiers-last-534538357


"I'm sorry it has come to this": A Soldier's Last Words

Daniel Somers was a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was part of Task Force Lightning, an intelligence unit. In 2004-2005, he was mainly assigned to a Tactical Human-Intelligence Team (THT) in Baghdad, Iraq, where he ran more than 400 combat missions as a machine gunner in the turret of a Humvee, interviewed countless Iraqis ranging from concerned citizens to community leaders and and government officials, and interrogated dozens of insurgents and terrorist suspects. In 2006-2007, Daniel worked with Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) through his former unit in Mosul where he ran the Northern Iraq Intelligence Center. His official role was as a senior analyst for the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, and part of Turkey). Daniel suffered greatly from PTSD and had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and several other war-related conditions. On June 10, 2013, Daniel wrote the following letter to his family before taking his life. Daniel was 30 years old. His wife and family have given permission to publish it.

I am sorry that it has come to this.

The fact is, for as long as I can remember my motivation for getting up every day has been so that you would not have to bury me. As things have continued to get worse, it has become clear that this alone is not a sufficient reason to carry on. The fact is, I am not getting better, I am not going to get better, and I will most certainly deteriorate further as time goes on. From a logical standpoint, it is better to simply end things quickly and let any repercussions from that play out in the short term than to drag things out into the long term.

You will perhaps be sad for a time, but over time you will forget and begin to carry on. Far better that than to inflict my growing misery upon you for years and decades to come, dragging you down with me. It is because I love you that I can not do this to you. You will come to see that it is a far better thing as one day after another passes during which you do not have to worry about me or even give me a second thought. You will find that your world is better without me in it.

I really have been trying to hang on, for more than a decade now. Each day has been a testament to the extent to which I cared, suffering unspeakable horror as quietly as possible so that you could feel as though I was still here for you. In truth, I was nothing more than a prop, filling space so that my absence would not be noted. In truth, I have already been absent for a long, long time.

My body has become nothing but a cage, a source of pain and constant problems. The illness I have has caused me pain that not even the strongest medicines could dull, and there is no cure. All day, every day a screaming agony in every nerve ending in my body. It is nothing short of torture. My mind is a wasteland, filled with visions of incredible horror, unceasing depression, and crippling anxiety, even with all of the medications the doctors dare give. Simple things that everyone else takes for granted are nearly impossible for me. I can not laugh or cry. I can barely leave the house. I derive no pleasure from any activity. Everything simply comes down to passing time until I can sleep again. Now, to sleep forever seems to be the most merciful thing.

You must not blame yourself. The simple truth is this: During my first deployment, I was made to participate in things, the enormity of which is hard to describe. War crimes, crimes against humanity. Though I did not participate willingly, and made what I thought was my best effort to stop these events, there are some things that a person simply can not come back from. I take some pride in that, actually, as to move on in life after being part of such a thing would be the mark of a sociopath in my mind. These things go far beyond what most are even aware of.

To force me to do these things and then participate in the ensuing coverup is more than any government has the right to demand. Then, the same government has turned around and abandoned me. They offer no help, and actively block the pursuit of gaining outside help via their corrupt agents at the DEA. Any blame rests with them.

Beyond that, there are the host of physical illnesses that have struck me down again and again, for which they also offer no help. There might be some progress by now if they had not spent nearly twenty years denying the illness that I and so many others were exposed to. Further complicating matters is the repeated and severe brain injuries to which I was subjected, which they also seem to be expending no effort into understanding. What is known is that each of these should have been cause enough for immediate medical attention, which was not rendered.

Lastly, the DEA enters the picture again as they have now managed to create such a culture of fear in the medical community that doctors are too scared to even take the necessary steps to control the symptoms. All under the guise of a completely manufactured “overprescribing epidemic,” which stands in stark relief to all of the legitimate research, which shows the opposite to be true. Perhaps, with the right medication at the right doses, I could have bought a couple of decent years, but even that is too much to ask from a regime built upon the idea that suffering is noble and relief is just for the weak.

However, when the challenges facing a person are already so great that all but the weakest would give up, these extra factors are enough to push a person over the edge.

Is it any wonder then that the latest figures show 22 veterans killing themselves each day? That is more veterans than children killed at Sandy Hook, every single day. Where are the huge policy initiatives? Why isn’t the president standing with those families at the state of the union? Perhaps because we were not killed by a single lunatic, but rather by his own system of dehumanization, neglect, and indifference.

It leaves us to where all we have to look forward to is constant pain, misery, poverty, and dishonor. I assure you that, when the numbers do finally drop, it will merely be because those who were pushed the farthest are all already dead.

And for what? Bush’s religious lunacy? Cheney’s ever growing fortune and that of his corporate friends? Is this what we destroy lives for

Since then, I have tried everything to fill the void. I tried to move into a position of greater power and influence to try and right some of the wrongs. I deployed again, where I put a huge emphasis on saving lives. The fact of the matter, though, is that any new lives saved do not replace those who were murdered. It is an exercise in futility.

Then, I pursued replacing destruction with creation. For a time this provided a distraction, but it could not last. The fact is that any kind of ordinary life is an insult to those who died at my hand. How can I possibly go around like everyone else while the widows and orphans I created continue to struggle? If they could see me sitting here in suburbia, in my comfortable home working on some music project they would be outraged, and rightfully so.

I thought perhaps I could make some headway with this film project, maybe even directly appealing to those I had wronged and exposing a greater truth, but that is also now being taken away from me. I fear that, just as with everything else that requires the involvement of people who can not understand by virtue of never having been there, it is going to fall apart as careers get in the way.

The last thought that has occurred to me is one of some kind of final mission. It is true that I have found that I am capable of finding some kind of reprieve by doing things that are worthwhile on the scale of life and death. While it is a nice thought to consider doing some good with my skills, experience, and killer instinct, the truth is that it isn’t realistic. First, there are the logistics of financing and equipping my own operation, then there is the near certainty of a grisly death, international incidents, and being branded a terrorist in the media that would follow. What is really stopping me, though, is that I simply am too sick to be effective in the field anymore. That, too, has been taken from me.

Thus, I am left with basically nothing. Too trapped in a war to be at peace, too damaged to be at war. Abandoned by those who would take the easy route, and a liability to those who stick it out—and thus deserve better. So you see, not only am I better off dead, but the world is better without me in it

This is what brought me to my actual final mission. Not suicide, but a mercy killing. I know how to kill, and I know how to do it so that there is no pain whatsoever. It was quick, and I did not suffer. And above all, now I am free. I feel no more pain. I have no more nightmares or flashbacks or hallucinations. I am no longer constantly depressed or afraid or worried

I am free.

I ask that you be happy for me for that. It is perhaps the best break I could have hoped for. Please accept this and be glad for me.

Daniel Somers

[Photo via Gettypremium]

 

[Caramon_Majere]

Christ, I need a Drink.

 

[cupper]

Some positive news on this front for 2013.

Military Suicides Decline Sharply

http://boeing.rollcall.com/topic-a/wonk-wire/military-suicides-decline-sharply/?pos=hbtxt

“Suicides across the military have dropped by more than 22 percent this year,” the Associated Press reports, but nobody is willing to offer an explanation.

“Military officials…were reluctant to pin the decline on the broad swath of detection and prevention efforts, acknowledging that they still don’t fully understand why troops take their own lives. And since many of those who have committed suicide in recent years had never served on the warfront, officials also do not attribute the decrease to the end of the Iraq war and the drawdown in Afghanistan.”

“With two months to go in this calendar year, defense officials say there have been 245 suicides by active-duty service members as of Oct. 27. At the same time last year there had already been 316.”

 

[tomahawk6]

The article below is about a 5 year study about suicide's with some interesting results.

Study To Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers:

http://www.army.mil/article/111451/Army_STARRS_study_busting_myths_on_suicide/

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 9, 2013) -- Although researchers are just beginning to analyze data collected from more than 110,000 Soldiers, they have already busted some myths and discovered patterns related to suicide.

One finding confirms an elevated risk of suicide associated with a Soldier's first deployment.

Multiple deployments don't seem to raise the risk, however. That might be because Soldiers make choices after their first deployment or develop coping mechanisms, according to researchers involved in the Army's "Study To Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers," or Army STARRS.