Noteboom The Law Firm

Military Suicide Rates Must Be Curbed

June 25, 2010 - Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are facing a multitude of issues in numbers never before contemplated. Some of these issues are interrelated, and some of them are not. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicides among military veterans are linked and much more common than need be.

Including active and non-active soldiers, the Army reported 197 army related suicides in 2008. In 2009 that number was 245, and through May of 2010, 163 were reported. These numbers are on the rise despite the war in Iraq being closer to the end than the beginning and with soldiers facing no real new threat of multiple deployments.

The suicide rates of military personnel have been on the rise since 2001. These rates are in contrast to the civilian population demonstrating a comparatively steady rate. The two current wars are certainly the obvious routes to travel when blame is being discussed. Not every suicide, however, can be attributed to the wars.

One of the military's main concerns is the amount of soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that take their own lives. What further complicates the issue are those soldiers who commit suicide with no documented mental health issues. Because of the great disparities in background information of soldiers and veterans who commit suicide, trends and patterns cannot be predicted or studied.

There are some pieces of information, however, that do stand out. While the majority of the suicides are committed by young white males, the majority of the Army consists of white young males. The Army has also demonstrated a great inability in handling mental health issues on this level. Areas causing the most concern for are:

•       Transitioning soldiers;

•      Soldiers cycling from combat zone back home; and

•       Soldiers with substance abuse problems.

The military's inability to predict and subsequently treat mental issues has lead to years of increasing suicide rates. The mentality that has brought the military to this level is what needs to be changed. Culture change within the military is never easy but at this point it is absolutely necessary.