More military troops lost to suicide than to war

[MonstHer]

https://www.congress.org/news/2011/01/24/more_troops_lost_to_suicide

For the second year in a row, the U.S. military has lost more troops to suicide than it has to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This makes me really sad. As prior military, and as someone married to a military member, I'll refrain from comment at this moment. But geeze.

 

[smelly07]

Its very sad and i think as well as stress, guilt plays another big part in it. x

 

[Blah11]

i cant imagine what it must feel like to kill a man, even if he was going to kill you first. & seeing civilian bodies esp children must be absolutely horrific. no wonder they come back with PTSD.

 

[JASMAK]

I can't imagine and CLEARLY they are not getting the proper support during and after. Typical...government using people at their disposal and washing their hands of it when they are done. I have never even heard of this before...it's almost like their dirty little secret. I am quite upset about it tbh.

 

[Nic1107]

The statistics are so sad- and the reality behind the statistics even sadder. There isn't nearly enough focus on supporting soldiers, sailors and Marines who come home from war, and barely any on non-war veterans who have experienced harrowing things even when their homeland is in peacetime and even young men and women who join the military and feel like they're trapped in a life they hate with no way out. My husband never saw combat (he was a sailor, and is now a reservist) but he told me off nights on the ship when he'd count the days he had left and consider just jumping overboard.

I knew a young man, a man that I'd gone to school with and had had a huge crush on back in elementary school, who committed suicide a few years back while he was in the Marine Corps. I don't know if he saw combat, I don't know why he ended his life, but I know there are far too many suicides in the military and something needs to be addressed.

 

[Avalanche]

Five people at the base were my husband was stationed committed suicide last year.

I know a woman who's son committed suicide after he saw six tours of duty.

There absolutely is not enough support in the US or the UK for people and there is still a burden of shame, in which soldiers think if they speak up about PTSD then they will lose their job.

 

[Quackquack99]

An old ex of mine came back from the army with severe ptsd. His best friend at base had killed himself. I do agree that these issue need to be addressed. d.