Do you know that suicides in the U.S. military have been rising?

Question

Up every year, since 2001. 70% by 2005. Pentagon won't release any figures for 2006. Sources: Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith. Smith's son committed suicide after being decorated for fighting in Iraq.

Answer 1

It's been skyrocketing as people discover that they have been tricked, lied to and dishonestly and illegally put into a dangerous and life threatening situation without the proper tools to defend themselves with. Fear makes people take serious measures. Bush is personally responsible for all the deaths and should be held accountable. There is alot of blood on his hands here in this country and in Iraq.

Answer 2

What do you think ground to ground combat does to a person. Trust me from personal experience its not fun. Being in the military is tough especially when your away from your family and have people shooting at you.

We signed up for this stuff but the reality hits hard when you hear the whisp of a bullet fly by.

And I know most people answering this question have no clue what the troops think. Just sit at home and watch your news and listen to your political programs in your comfy chairs. If you want the truth about the troops views go to Iraq and Afghanistan and see it up close. I guess we fight and die so you idiots can express your point of view.



I know there is a hidden agenda behind your question!

You want to look at another stat, look at the approval rating the troops have for the President! It is at a all time high!

Answer 3

re Gordon Smith
On September 8, 2003, Smith experienced a personal tragedy when his 21-year-old son, Garrett, a college culinary arts major, committed suicide. In 2004, President George W. Bush signed the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, authorizing $82 million for suicide-prevention and awareness programs at colleges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Smith

Oregon's Gordon Smith and his wife, Sharon, hope reaching out helps keep other families from meeting the same fate. Their 22-year-old son, Garrett, took his life in 2003, after a long struggle against depression. Tracy Smith has their story.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/20/earlyshow/contributors/tracysmith/main1731490.shtml

Did Gordon Smith have another son that commited suicide?
Because my search only yeilded results for sons suicide in 2003.

re increase in suicides in military.
Suicides are not uncommon in the military to begin with.
Any Military member who has been in for any length of time knows somebody that commited suicide.
It even happens in boot camp.

Do you think the extended deployments might have something to do with it?
Recently saw American Masters Program about one of the old early TV news reporters.
There were videos of troops in NAM being interviewed.
troops say stuff like...
"I just want to finish my tour and get the hell out of here."

Not now.....
Soldier better not say anything except what the script dictates.
Pure propaganda.

At least the troops in Nam had hope of getting out when they were scheduled to rotate.
Not Iraq.......maybe you will be there a year.
Maybe you will be there 18 months.
You just don't know.
You don't know when you gonna get on that outward bound plane with all your limbs intact.

Maybe, like that Alaska based Stryker Brigade....you will be ready to rotate out of Iraq....
family...wives and kids and girlfriends anticipate return.
and ...at the last minute they word comes out that the Brigade will be staying in Iraq for another four months.

And if you ain't been in the military you don't know the meaning and power of the words..."SHORT TIMER".
And to have rug pulled out from under you sure isn't good for morale.

Answer 4

Hey "George"... "guilt" You don't know the first thing about combat do you? So shut your pie hole!!!

One thing the military has never really prepared itself for is urban combat. We only learn new techniques for combat after we learned them in a previous war. Our techniques have come from many sources this time around like FBI and SWAT teams including the Marine Corp Manual.

Not having much experience in this form of combat goes hand in hand with trying to help someone deal with issues surrounding them. If you've never been through it, how would you treat sufferers? Helping combat vets is a learning experience... look how long it took the govt to help Vietnam vets.

the govt probably hides these stats due to their own incompetance of trying to help them. PLUS... how can you tell someone is wacked out from combat if they don't tell someone... especially if they're back in the US?

There is training at the end of each tour to help vets deal with all they've been through. It is up to those people to seek the help they need. Friends can not always determine if there bud has a "problem".

Answer 5

Hardly surprising. From a soldiers point of view, when you realise you are not fighting for freedom, that you are the bad guys and you have emperilled your countrymen and women back home by creating and fomenting more terrorism. Then that is going to have a negative effect on your identity and this will have a very negative effect on your psyche.

Answer 6

because of fact the US militia isn't a monastic order? because of fact the US militia is produced from folk of many, or no, faiths? because of fact the US militia is in accordance with and serves the US shape, not the Christian bible? fact: when I went to MEPS the Gideons surpassed me a pocket New testomony. Korans and Torahs weren't provided. fact: while i grew to become into in consumer-friendly i grew to become into allowed to bypass to church. If somebody grew to become into of a different faith and had centers at a different time or area than the backside chapel, they have been allowed to bypass. stop whining and stressful that the US militia do some thing. Be an occasion by ability of residing a sin-unfastened and virtuous existence, and probably you could lead by ability of occasion. have you ever heard of that concept? The final I heard, the US shape grew to become into in accordance with man or woman freedoms, not forced church attendance.

Answer 7

these kids should never have to experience what they have.....

they will never be the same again..... all in the name of "freedom and democracy" and yet it is not their fault they are just trusting this administration is doing the right thing!!!!!

what a ****** joke!!!!!

Answer 8

It doesn't surprise me-look what they are going through and all the experiences they witness.

Answer 9

did you know that suicide effects those outside the military also?

Answer 10

Yes , I heard that this morning and it keeps going up .