Hundreds of U.S. soldiers committed suicide in 2012, and government officials are at a loss to explain why.
As many as 349 service members killed themselves last year despite an array of counseling and support programs offered members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, according to Cable News Network (CNN).
That number exceeds the number of service members killed last year in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of U.S. troops still battle the Taliban insurgency.
?We?ve said for many years now how deeply concerned we are about the tragedy of suicides in the military and we recognize that the numbers are going up,? Navy Capt. John Kirby said last year.
?If you just compare this year?s numbers -- compared to 10 years ago, they?ve doubled,? he said, "And each one is a tragedy.?
The Defense Department did not keep close track of military suicides until 2001, and the 2012 total includes suicides of reservists in addition to soldiers in combat.
In 2012, the Army reported 182 suicides and suspected suicides, an increase of 16 from the year before, while the Navy reported 60, the Air Force reported 59 and the Marines reported 48, CNN said.
All of the totals were increases over the previous year.
Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon PanettaLeon Panetta has called the rising suicide rate a crisis, and has pressed military commanders to keep a closer watch on the mental health of those under their commands.
?Leaders throughout the chain of command must actively promote a constructive command climate that fosters cohesion and encourages individuals to reach out for help when needed,? Panetta said in a memo issued in May 2012.
Toward that end, Panetta's memo also said his department had created a new Suicide Prevention Office to coordinate training and programs, CNN said.
In recent years, the Army and Navy have taught "resiliency" to troops to better prepare them for stress, but experts say they have not been able to find a direct link between suicides and combat stress.
A non-military group, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), which offer grief support programs, told CNN it gets eight to 10 cases a week of people seeking help to deal with the suicide of a service member.
"We are deeply saddened by this loss of life, and renew our commitment to support the military families left behind who are grieving the deaths of service members by suicide," said Bonnie Carroll, the founder of TAPS.
Before founding the group, she was co-chair of a Department of Defense task force on suicide prevention in the armed forces, CNN said.
David Petraeus Petraeus Mia Love wall street journal us map Electoral Map concede
No comments:
Post a Comment