by WhyNow2000 9 Replies latest social current
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - At least 21 U.S. troops have committed suicide in Iraq, a growing toll that represents one of every seven American "non-hostile" deaths since the war began last March, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Detail:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=4128021
I wondered at the descriptions given for "cause of death" ... some are obvious such as "hostile fire" and "accident" but then things like "unathorised weapons fire" (I think they call it) seemed a bit odd. I presume this is the term for suicides ?
In my role as part of the Army's Suicide Intervention team I get fed weekly status reports on Suicides throughout the US Army. The rates are indeed up...but not the highest they've ever been....they were at about 14-15 per 100,000 when we started to draw down the force. Right now they're at about 13 per 100,000 in Iraq...slightly lower everywhere else.
EDITED TO ADD INFO:
The figure I saw in the press report said that before the war we were at 10 per 100K, which is actually lower than the figure I had placing it at about 11.2 per 100K. A part of the reason it's higher in Iraq is because being away from home these individuals are away from their support system (read families). Problems at home fester...spouses are cheating...spending excessively, etc.
The reason the rate was so high during the draw down of the early 1990's is because career soldiers were being sent home. One story related how a 1st Sergeant who found out he was being retired before he wanted to committed suicide in his shed at home about 2 weeks before he was to get out...the Army was all he knew. I'm sure we don't have records for those who offed themselves after they got out...so I wouldn't be suprised if the actually figure was as high as 16 per 100K.
BTT,
Man, I've killed several good threads...I like this one.
"unathorised weapons fire" is more than likely negligent discharge. someone fires off a round accidently.
-----> negligent discharge
Pleasuredome,
... that's a Military term ? How interesting .... and all along I thought it was the medical term for Flatulence.
***** Rub a Dub
negligent discharge
I thought that was a wet dream . . .
Nina
From what I've seen the Army is pretty straight forward about this stuff and isn't trying to hide it. Having said that, even when the obvious is staring you in the face the Army still has to investigate before it classifies a death as suicide.
I don't have the cold numbers, but weren't suicides through the roof in Vietnam? Be interesting to compare these rates with Iraq, Bosnia (0 combat deats) Afghanistan, Korea and WWII...on a per-capita basis.It would say a lot about soldier's morale. I know morale was high during much of WWII and Afghanistan. (BTW, Yeru, I supported going into Afghanistan)
Sorry big guy, the Army wasn't really tracking suicides back in Nam...that was an 80's thing I think. The comparison wouldn't be all that valid because of the difference in the force...just the difference from a draft army to an all volunteer army would skew the results of the comparison, even though 2/3 of those that served in Vietnam were volunteers.
Simon,
I can't find the exact article you referenced (I get a blank page) however, the phrase "accidental discharge" would not be out of character for cause of death until it's proven to be suicide.
