Too many military suicides

Source: Herald Online
Published: Thursday 14 June, 2012

The staggering suicide rate among America’s troops is another reason to maintain the timetable for disengaging from a combat role in Afghanistan and to resist calls for sending U.S. troops to other trouble spots around the world.

Suicides are averaging nearly one a day this year, the fastest pace in the nation’s decade of war. suicides outnumber the U.S. forces killed in action in Afghanistan by about 50 percent.

Suicides had leveled off in 2010 and 2011, and this year’s surge caught officials by surprise. Reasons for the increase are not fully understood.

The Pentagon, however, suspects that the pressure of multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken their toll on our forces. Studies also have pointed to post-traumatic stress, misuse of prescription drugs, alcohol abuse and personal financial problems.

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