Essay On Military Suicide
SUICIDE IN THE MILITARY
Why Military Suicides are on the Rise Active duty military men and women are committing suicide more today than they have in years past ( (Mallin, 2012). Total deaths from suicide is exceeding U.S. combat deaths in the Afghanistan War. In 2012 the deaths from suicide totaled 154 for the first 6 months of the year which is an increase of 18% from the previous year during this same time period (Burns, 2012). “In 2009, we lost almost as many active military to suicide as to combat” (Mallin, 2012, p. 2). There were 334 military suicides by November of 2009 compared to 297 killed in action in Afghanistan and 144 killed in Iraq. Unfortunately these statistics do not include men and women who have been discharged from the …show more content…
If soldiers can’t talk about their issues with their higher ranking personnel then who are they to go to? If the Officers aren’t trying to keep an eye open to the fact that some people are just not the same as they were, then who is to notice that a soldier may need help. “The break down or neglect of personal relationships at all levels seems to be the single most identifiable factor in suicide.” (Mallin, 2012, p. 6). Helping the soldier before he/she even begins to think about committing suicide is one answer. Army Brigadier General (Dr.) Loree K. Sutton is working with both the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs in suicide prevention. Both departments realize that psychological wounds are as dangerous as physical wounds and that emotional distress doesn’t stop when the soldier gets back home, nor is it just confined to combat soldiers (n.a., 2010). Other contributing factors that come into play are personal relationships, finances, stresses of the job at home, etc. All of these need to be carefully monitored not just by family and friends but by the military themselves. “From private to general, we shoulder an obligation to look and listen for signs…” (Burns, 2012, p.
Why Military Suicides are on the Rise Active duty military men and women are committing suicide more today than they have in years past ( (Mallin, 2012). Total deaths from suicide is exceeding U.S. combat deaths in the Afghanistan War. In 2012 the deaths from suicide totaled 154 for the first 6 months of the year which is an increase of 18% from the previous year during this same time period (Burns, 2012). “In 2009, we lost almost as many active military to suicide as to combat” (Mallin, 2012, p. 2). There were 334 military suicides by November of 2009 compared to 297 killed in action in Afghanistan and 144 killed in Iraq. Unfortunately these statistics do not include men and women who have been discharged from the …show more content…
If soldiers can’t talk about their issues with their higher ranking personnel then who are they to go to? If the Officers aren’t trying to keep an eye open to the fact that some people are just not the same as they were, then who is to notice that a soldier may need help. “The break down or neglect of personal relationships at all levels seems to be the single most identifiable factor in suicide.” (Mallin, 2012, p. 6). Helping the soldier before he/she even begins to think about committing suicide is one answer. Army Brigadier General (Dr.) Loree K. Sutton is working with both the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs in suicide prevention. Both departments realize that psychological wounds are as dangerous as physical wounds and that emotional distress doesn’t stop when the soldier gets back home, nor is it just confined to combat soldiers (n.a., 2010). Other contributing factors that come into play are personal relationships, finances, stresses of the job at home, etc. All of these need to be carefully monitored not just by family and friends but by the military themselves. “From private to general, we shoulder an obligation to look and listen for signs…” (Burns, 2012, p.