Suicides are still rising in military (Army, soldiers, health, event)

[johnsonkk]

Very unfortunate that suicides in the military are increasing again after slight dip in 2022. Recently there have been some larger type articles on suicides but still not much on the ongoing prevention efforts. In the Australian news stories, they end suicide articles with a box of contact numbers and available resources on suicide, which is positive.

From August, 3023, https://www.militarytimes.com/news/y...ase-of-deaths/


And then a public “social influencer” in the Army recently passed and she was an advocate for mental health, which again is surprising. She posted about suicide and prevention, and during prevention week in September.
https://nypost.com/2024/01/21/news/u...es-by-suicide/


And the heart breaking Army suicides by 4 soldiers in less than 5 months from the same unit. The blame there is a change mission in Afghanistan and lack of purpose on that mission.
https://www.jsonline.com/in-depth/ne...de/8566104002/


And yet the NYT and Washington Post run articles about how service members are responsible for millions of deaths in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Not a word about terrorists, tali-ban, or ISIS. They quote scholars but no mention of mental health or suicides in the military; truly an anti-military hit piece.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...hanistan-iraq/


And DOD, in their “summary of numbers”, as if explaining a list of Ukrainian arms shipment, provides statistical data without causes or solutions. Even highlights the most common method.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Release...itary-calenda/


It was reported in 2021 that 4x times as many service members have died in suicides than in combat, in post 9-11. https://www.military.com/daily-news/...es-combat.html
Hopefully three years later that number is not 5x as high but it might be that high in 2024.