Military suicides up big time

[Politico]

There isn't much combat going on and KIA's are down to almost nothing so the suicide rate must have some other cause. Maybe the attitude of the administration or the tangled relationships when women are forced into combat roles. The absurd pregnancy rate on US warships might be a factor or even the dumb assed openly gay idiots who thought they could fashion skills in the Military.

Women aren't being forced into it. They are demanding it. But that i another topic. It comes down to the they don't make em' like they used to. Just imagine what would happen if these modern soldiers had to endure something like WW2. They would be offing themselves left and right.

 

[Cross]

I have the studied subject some more because some of my assumptions seemed counter intuitive...

First bad assumption was that the 30 in 100,000 factoid was a snapshot of just OEF and OIF or WOT, it is not... it is all living veterans....Vietnam Vets and all, that seems more right..

The key here is the statistic that 69% of veterans that suicide are 50 years old or older...

To me that statistic indicates there is much more to this than just mental trauma inflicted during a conflict....

http://www.va.gov/opa/docs/suicide-data-report-2012-final.pdf

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

There isn't much combat going on and KIA's are down to almost nothing so the suicide rate must have some other cause. Maybe the attitude of the administration or the tangled relationships when women are forced into combat roles. The absurd pregnancy rate on US warships might be a factor or even the dumb assed openly gay idiots who thought they could fashion skills in the Military.

Women aren't being forced into it. They are demanding it. But that i another topic. It comes down to the they don't make em' like they used to. Just imagine what would happen if these modern soldiers had to endure something like WW2. They would be offing themselves left and right.

Yep, as I said. We aren't weening them out like we used to. Mental toughness used to be required just to make it through basic, and these people who need time outs and such just wouldn't cut it.

Even when people were being drafted, they still had to complete basic, a shortened version, and mental cases were either weeded out or used as cannon fodder (I don't recommend we do that)

 

[Cross]

I don't think one can draw a conclusion with the nebulous facts that are presented.

That's not your first theory was, was it?

 

[whitehall]

"Exposure to traumatic events"? What the hell does that mean. Today's Military is better equipped, protected, fed and housed and has shorter tours than any other period in history. So called "service dogs" have a long history of aiding the blind and physically impaired. Some reality channel has a series about well trained "service dogs" being wasted on able bodied Veterans who claim to be suffering from PTSD. They gave a dog to an uninjured Veteran who claimed he was traumatized by being too close to an explosion. General Patton would have slapped him silly and sent him back to the front lines.

So explain the rise in suicides?

You want the harsh truth?

Lowered standards

20 years ago a pussy would have been called a pussy and sent home from basic training, today they get a timeout card and can come back tomorrow when they are no longer sad.

So, it's easy to see. They used to cut those who would likely break and kill themselves out long before they ever went to war.

Vietnam Veteran rates were lower with draftees, even with the lower standards you speak of they aren't lower than that era.

Sadly, the enemy killed the weak in Vietnam before they had a chance to do it themselves.

Wow, some Americans actually think the heroes who were killed in Vietnam were the "weak". How insulting can you get?

 

[waltky]

VA suicide prevention programs is gaining steam in Congress...

VA suicide overhaul bill gets push in Congress
November 19, 2014: WASHINGTON — A proposed review and expansion of VA suicide prevention programs is gaining steam in Congress during the lame duck session.

Mothers of two servicemembers who committed suicide were set to testify late Wednesday in support of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act in the Senate, where a group of Republicans and two Democrats introduced the bill this week. House lawmakers were slated to review their version of the legislation later in the day. It was a strong signal that lawmakers might consider passage before the close of the congressional session at the end of the year, according to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which has pushed the legislation. The bill mandates new resources and an outside review of VA efforts to reduce what the military calls a suicide epidemic, especially among younger vets returning from the past 13 years of war. “While this bill won’t fix everything, it is a big step in the right direction,” said Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., ranking member on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee during the bill hearing.

It is estimated that about 22 veterans commit suicide each day. Burr joined fellow Republicans including Arizona Sen. John McCain and Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to introduce the bill on Monday. Susan Selke, the mother of Marine veteran Clay Hunt, spoke to reporters before she was slated to testify in front of Burr’s committee, saying she met privately with VA Secretary Bob McDonald on Tuesday about the legislation and was told he would support it.

Susan Selke, mother of Marine veteran Clay Hunt, who killed himself on March 31, 2011, attends a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on Nov. 19, 2014. Selke and her husband, Richard, looking on from behind, listen to Valerie Pallotta testify before committee members about the suicide of her son, Joshua Pallotta, who killed himself six weeks ago. Selke and Pallotta tesitfied before the committee in support of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act.

The bill requires the independent review of suicide prevention programs to determine which work and what changes should be made. It also would create a new website to link veterans with mental health care services and provide incentives for psychiatrists to join the Department of Veterans Affairs. Hunt survived a brush with a sniper’s bullet during combat in Iraq and became an advocate for suicide prevention. But he struggled with post-traumatic stress and survivor’s guilt, and took his own life in 2011 at the age of 28. Selke, who was to testify with the mother of a Vermont National Guard combat vet, said she just learned of a new suicide among members of her son’s old unit, and that suicide has now claimed as many victims of the unit as combat did.

Alexander Nicholson, legislative director for IAVA, said the Clay Hunt Act is a first step toward stemming the deaths and figuring out how to improve the VA mental health care system. House lawmakers have indicated they will take a floor vote on the bill during the lame duck session, a critical step toward it becoming law, Nicholson said. But the Senate may not be able to craft its version and complete the process of getting it to a floor vote. Nicholson said Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., indicated to the group that he may consider allowing a fast-track floor vote that might make taking action on the suicide measure impossible.

VA suicide overhaul bill gets push in Congress - News - Stripes

See also:

GAO: Vets' data still at risk due to unaddressed VA security weaknesses
November 19, 2014 ~ The Department of Veterans Affairs still has not taken adequate steps to protect private data, despite security flaws during the past few years that have been exploited by hackers, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office released Monday.

“Until VA fully addresses identified security weaknesses, its systems and the information they contain — including veterans’ personal information — will be at an increased risk of unauthorized access, modification, disclosure, or loss,” the report concluded. The VA oversees a massive system, with more than 300,000 employees. It administers health care and other benefits to about 22 million veterans and their families through the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and the National Cemetery Administration. Several incidents in the past few years have highlighted weaknesses in the VA’s information system.

The system was hacked in 2010 by attackers who exploited weak technical controls within the agency. In January this year, a software defect in the VA’s eBenefits system, an application that is used by almost 3 million veterans to receive services, gave users unfettered access to information about other veterans. The private data of about 1,300 veterans or their dependents was potentially viewed by others, the report said. The VA has taken some steps to patch such network vulnerabilities, and it is now required to submit monthly reports to Congress detailing private data breaches. For example, in October the report stated that the data of 765 veterans had been affected by incidents such as lost/stolen devices and incorrect mailings.

The GAO report found, however, that the agency had not yet taken adequate steps to fully protect its network. In the wake of a 2012 cyberattack by “malicious outsiders,” the VA’s Network and Security Operations Center took steps to remediate network weaknesses that had been exploited. “However, VA could not demonstrate the effectiveness of its efforts because staff could not locate the associated forensics analysis report or other key materials,” said Gregory Wilshusen, the GAO’s director of information security issues, during testimony Tuesday before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “Without preserving such evidence, VA will be unable to demonstrate the effectiveness of its incident-response measures and may be hindered in assisting law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting cyber crimes.”

In addition, the VA had yet to even address the underlying vulnerability that allowed the 2012 intrusion, Wilshusen said. Part of the problem is that VA policy doesn’t allow NSOC full access to the agency’s computer networks. The VA has also been slow to apply critical “patches” to vulnerabilities identified in software, the report said. As of May this year, the VA had not applied patches to the 10 most critical vulnerabilities identified by department security scans, even though some patches had been available for more than two years. The report noted, however, that the VA is in the process of hardening its network to breaches. It has established an organization to oversee remediation of vulnerabilities and is working creation of a database to track the implementation of patches and other fixes.

GAO Vets data still at risk due to unaddressed VA security weaknesses - Veterans - Stripes

Related:

Casualties of the after-war

 

[initforme]

Perhaps a tougher screening process would have a lot less enlisting. This could be a good thing?

 

[whitehall]

Are they talking about Veteran hospital suicides or are they talking about active enlisted suicides? I don't have any first hand information about prescription drug use in the Military but I expect that the government is pretty liberal (and reckless) when it comes to prescription drugs for everything from stopping smoking to insomnia to alleged "depression". There is a case of murder in the Military where a Soldier's defense was that he was prescribed anti-smoking medication which sometimes alters behavior. Imagine what anti-depression meds do to a border line personality. American Military live better, eat better and see less uncomfortable combat tours than any other time in military history. Why should they decide to take their own lives? The only explanation is prescribed drugs that alter behavior.

 

[waltky]

Military suicides on track to pass 2013...

Military suicides total 144 in 1st 6 months, on rate to surpass 2013
December 16, 2014 ~ The number of suicides by active-duty, Reserve and National Guard servicemembers during the second quarter of 2014 declined by about 5 percent from the first three months of the year, dropping from 74 deaths to 70.

The number of suicides during the last half of this year would need to decline considerably to fall below the 254 suicides reported in 2013, based on information released last week on the Department of Defense Quarterly Suicide Report. Both the rate and number of suicides declined from 2012 to 2013, but the death rate among Marines and soldiers — active, Reserve and National Guard — was particularly high. Active-duty Marines and soldiers had a suicide rate of about 23 deaths per 100,000 servicemembers in 2013, compared with 12.5 suicides per 100,000 overall in the United States in 2012, the most recent rate calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The suicide rate among sailors also has increased this year. So far, 63 sailors — 48 on active duty and 15 reservists — have committed suicide this year, compared with 46 suicides last year, 41 active duty and five reservists.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert told Stars and Stripes recently that suicides have not dropped off the radar, despite increased focus on combating sexual assault. “This is a real, hard problem,” he said, “We’ve got to continue to work on the resiliency of our sailors.” Greenert said one of the biggest challenges has been identifying a thread — suicides in the Navy have varied in rank, age and deployment status. Navy officials said a continued focus must be placed on developing supportive peers and leaders and the importance of seeking help. It’s an effort the Navy plans to emphasize with next year’s bystander intervention training, which is currently a key component of the Navy’s sexual assault prevention efforts.

The Army also has initiated a campaign to prevent suicide that relies heavily on peer intervention, employing slogans such as “Buddies can prevent suicide.” Posters displayed in common areas of Army bases ask, “Have you saved a life today?” Jacqueline Garrick, acting director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, said in a Pentagon statement that fear of career damage remains one of the major obstacles to servicemembers seeking counseling and treatment. “The goal is to eliminate the stigma of getting help,” she said. “So there’s been an increase in first-level, peer-to-peer groups, which have made a difference in enabling people who fear they may be jeopardizing their career to reach out for care.”

The most common stressors linked to suicide among servicemembers are financial and relationship problems, depression and abuse, she said. On Monday, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., blocked a military suicide prevention bill named after former Marine Clay Hunt, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who killed himself in 2011. For immediate help regarding suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800 273-8255.

Military suicides total 144 in 1st 6 months on rate to surpass 2013 - News - Stripes

 

[whitehall]

The words "up bigtime" are dishonest. If you look it up the suicide rate in the Army, it reflects the suicide rate among civilians in the same age group. As a matter of fact the suicide rate in the Army is slightly lower than the civilian statistics. What do we make of it? Among Americans it seems that there are always statistically 10% per 100,000 of the same age group who decide to take their own lives every year.

 

[waltky]

Seeks to require annual mental check-ups...

Jacob Sexton military suicide bill inspired by soldier who died on leave
December 19, 2014 — An Indiana soldier's suicide in a Muncie movie theater during a 2009 leave has led to a federal law that will change how the military handles mental health issues.

The national defense bill signed into law by President Barack Obama on Friday includes a provision requiring all members of the military to receive annual mental health assessments beginning next year. The Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act was sponsored by Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly. Sexton, an Indiana National Guardsman from Farmland, killed himself while on a 15-day leave from Afghanistan. He was 21.

Police said at the time that Sexton had argued with theater employees over having to show identification to see the R-rated horror comedy "Zombieland." Twenty minutes into the film, a friend handed Sexton a 9 mm handgun, at the Guardsman's request, and he then shot himself in the head. Sexton's father, Jeff Sexton, said Friday that he believes his son wanted help but was afraid to speak up.

A 2009 public service poster designed to raise awareness about stress-related causes of suicide amongst U.S. servicemembers. The Veterans Crisis line can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.

Statistics show 475 people in the military committed suicide last year, while 132 died in combat. In addition to the mental health screenings, the Sexton act takes steps to protect service members' privacy and requires a Pentagon report to evaluate existing military mental health practices and provide recommendations for improvement, Donnelly said in a statement.

He told WISH-TV that his hope is to eliminate military suicide. "I was asked by somebody, they said, 'What's your real goal?' I said 'My real goal is to get it to zero.'" The bill passed the Senate on what would have been Jacob Sexton's 27th birthday. Jeff Sexton said he hopes the legislation changes the stigma of mental illness and leads more members of the military to seek the help they need.

Jacob Sexton military suicide bill inspired by soldier who died on leave - U.S. - Stripes

See also:

Rising casualty count takes toll on Afghanistan's veterans
December 19, 2014 — The rocket-propelled grenade slammed into the side of the Humvee with a blinding explosion, creating a shower of broken glass.

Police commander Qandagha Qandaghari stepped out of the vehicle to return fire. As he ran for position he stepped on an improvised land mine, one of the most ubiquitous and lethal weapons employed by Taliban insurgents during Afghanistan’s war. When the dust cleared, he was conscious just long enough to see where his legs used to be. Stories like Qandaghari’s have become more and more common as Afghan security forces have waded ever deeper into a conflict that shows no sign of abating. As thousands of international combat troops prepare to depart, the Afghan forces they once worked with are facing a tide of casualties. The result is a growing population of injured veterans, orphaned children and widows in a country that often can’t provide the most rudimentary health care, especially compared to the standards that coalition servicemembers are accustomed to in their home countries.

In September, Interior Ministry officials said that across Afghanistan, more than 1,500 policemen died and 2,500 were injured during the preceding six months. The Defense Ministry refused to release military casualty figures. But in October, Gen. John Campbell, the top U.S. and ISAF commander in Afghanistan, told reporters that as many as 9,000 members of Afghanistan’s security forces had been killed or injured in combat in the first 10 months of this year. Both the International Security Assistance Force and Afghan officials said care for veterans is an issue handled solely by the Afghan government. The international coalition has no treatment programs as part of the follow-on advising-and-training mission, which will take effect on Jan. 1. Gen. Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry, said the families of soldiers killed in the fighting receive 100 percent of their salaries, while wounded soldiers receive a range of payments depending on the severity of their wounds. Injured soldiers who are able to work are kept on in the army, he said.

Former Afghan National Army Maj. Shah Zaman, 48, describes the injuries he sustained when the Taliban attacked his base with a car bomb in 2008. Years later, Zaman says the injuries still make it impossible for him to care for his family.

Veterans’ care in the United States has been the subject of serious scandals of its own recently, but American veterans are on the receiving end of an entire government department dedicated to their care, and former servicemembers are often eligible for health care, disability compensation and rehabilitation, pensions, education funding and vocational training, and home loans, among other possible benefits. Although desertion remains a constant challenge, so far the high costs for members of the security forces have yet to reduce enlistments in an economy in which steady jobs can be scarce.

But many veterans of both the police and the army around Afghanistan say they still feel left behind. “My children are faced with a bad future if I can’t be the father they need,” Qandaghari, 23, said at his house in Lashkar Gah, speaking of his 5-month-old son. He had been married for less than a year when he lost his legs. Since his injury, he has been homebound. But Qandaghari said it doesn’t have to be that way. In 2012, he graduated first in his class from the national police academy and worked at the Interior Ministry for a year before becoming commander of an elite special-operations unit in Helmand, one of the most violent provinces in Afghanistan. That experience didn’t disappear along with his legs, Qandaghari said. “When I had my legs, I fought in every one of Helmand’s 14 districts. But now that they’re gone, I am nothing to the government. All I want is to work. I am proud to be an Afghan police officer and to fight for my country.”

MORE

 

[Snouter]

It is sad. Most folks who joined the military post WWII are mental to begin with. Nobody could be that stupid.

 

[waltky]

Military suicides remain high...

U.S. military suicides remain high for 7th year
April 2, 2016 - The Pentagon reported Friday that 265 active-duty service members killed themselves last year, continuing a trend of unusually high suicide rates that have plagued the U.S. military for at least seven years.

The numbers of suicides among troops was 145 in 2001 and began a steady increase until more than doubling to 321 in 2012, the worst year in recent history for service members killing themselves. The suicide rate for the Army that year was nearly 30 suicides per 100,000 soldiers, well above the national rate of 12.5 per 100,000 for 2012. Military suicides dropped 20% the year after that, and then held roughly steady at numbers significantly higher than during the early 2000s. The 265 suicides last year compares with 273 in 2014 and 254 in 2013. By contrast, from 2001 through 2007, suicides never exceeded 197.

"Suicide prevention remains a top priority, and the Department will continue its efforts to reduce deaths by suicide among its service members," said Marine Lt. Col. Hermes Gabrielle, a Pentagon spokeswoman. "Reducing suicide risk entails creating a climate that encourages servicemembers to seek help, reducing access to lethal means and broadening communication and awareness to Service members and their families."

Among efforts by the military to combat suicide was a $5 million, long-term study by the Army that eventually produced algorithms for predicting what group of soldiers is most likely to commit suicide. The Department of Veterans Affairs has embraced the science and will soon launch a pilot program for helping its therapists concentrate efforts on those veterans with strong self-destructive tendencies. The increase in suicide in the military was driven largely by the Army, where suicides rose sharply from 45 in 2001 to 165 in 2012. The Army reported 120 suicides last year, the same as in 2013 and down from 124 in 2014.

Data released Friday also show that suicides among reserve troops — reservists in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps and the National Guard — were 210 last year. That is an increase from 170 suicides in 2014 but down from 220 suicides in 2013. U.S. troops have been at war since 2001 in Afghanistan, and fought in the Iraq war from 2003 to 2011.

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