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Thu 21 Dec, 2006 10:22 am
Breaking the Press Blackout: Suicide Rates Up Among Iraq Soldiers
By E&P Staff
Published: December 20, 2006 4:45 PM ET
The press rarely carries accounts of U.S. suicides in Iraq. Military personnel who do not die in combat are usually put in one category, covering "non-hostile" death, which includes vehicles, illness, friendly fire and other causes. The press rarely finds out about suicides. But suicides among U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq doubled last year over the previous year, U.S. Army medical experts have now announced.
Twenty-two U.S. soldiers in Iraq took their lives in 2005, a rate of 19.9 per 100,000 soldiers, just over the rate in 2003 (the year of the U.S. invasion). In 2004, the rate had slid to 10.5 per 100,000, which the military said was due to efforts at prevention.
The figures do not include members of other U.S. military services in Iraq such as the Marine Corps.
Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, the Army's surgeon general, said at a press conference, "We think that the numbers are so rare to begin with that it's very hard to make any kind of interpretation. We have not made a connection between the stress on the force and some massive or even significant increase in suicides."
A survey of the morale and mental health of U.S. soldiers in Iraq in late 2005 found 13.6 percent of the soldiers reporting symptoms of acute stress and another 16.5 percent describing a combination of depression, anxiety and acute stress. These numbers, about 30% total, were also up from 2004.
Other findings in the report:
--Troops involved in training Iraqi security forces reported higher morale than those serving on combat teams, partly because they felt their work was part of the solution in Iraq.
--The number of those who felt that seeking help was a "sign of weakness" declined from 35 percent to 28 percent.
-- Troops sent a second time to Iraq reported greater stress rates than first-timers. Some 12 percent serving their initial deployment reported acute stress, compared to 18.4 percent of those serving a repeat deployment.
Bush is talking about "extending" their service in Iraq with the addition of 30,000 troops - temporarily - with no goals or anticipated outcome, except the sacrifice of more of our soldiers. Bush keeps talking about "winning in Iraq," but fails to explain how this can be done; he's a moron. A dangerous one!
"The press rarely carries accounts of U.S. suicides in Iraq. Military personnel who do not die in combat are usually put in one category, covering "non-hostile" death, which includes vehicles, illness, friendly fire and other causes. The press rarely finds out about suicides. But suicides among U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq doubled last year over the previous year, U.S. Army medical experts have now announced"
The explain HOW it was determined that suicides are "up".
Quote:But suicides among U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq doubled last year over the previous year, U.S. Army medical experts have now announced"
That is how they know.
The military always knew who committed suicide, they just didn't announce it.
For some reason, now they are, and they announced that suicides have doubled.
The soldiers are living in a land that doesn't want them. They are sleeping in overheated tents. They have bad food. They are not allowed to socialize with anyone in the country. They are forbidden from drinking alcohol. They are under the constant threat of imminent death. They have been forced to kill. Many of them have been wounded or seen their buddies killed. All freedom and liberty has been suspended. And I recently found out that many of them are being denied the college of their choice after they have served their tours of duty.
What's not to love?
Nick, Where is the proof that the vets who served in Iraq are being denied college? First time I'm hearing about this cut-back, but have learned from a few years ago that Bush cut veteran's benefits, and they are now required to pay higher co-pays.
When Bush says anything about "we support our troops," it turns my stomach.
I do some work at a college CI. The admissions office tells me about students that can't attend because their GI Bill didn't come through. There was one story of a potential student who served 6 years, 4 tours in Iraq and was told by the Army that he had to attend a state school and only specific state schools the Army decided.
Nick, Is the college accredited? If it is, it shouldn't make any difference to the government which college they wish to attend, because it's a stipend type of scholarship; fixed amount.
Indeed the college is accredited CI. But it is a private college. It's very expensive and the government will only allow enough for a public institution.
I went to a public college, but the benefit was very small, and I had to work to cover my cost to attend. I'm not sure if anybody receives a "fully paid" veteran's benefit to any college.
I found this:
Montgomery G.I. Bill - Active Duty & Veteran
MGIB provides up to 36 months (4 regular school years) of education benefits to eligible veterans for:
College, Business
Technical or Vocational Courses
Correspondence Courses
Apprenticeship/Job Training
Flight Training
Active Duty members who have served at least two years on active duty.
Veterans - there are four categories of Veteran eligibility depending on when you enlisted and how long you served on active duty.
Up to $1075 per month for full-time institutional education (beginning Oct. 1, 2005).
Benefits end 10 years from the date of your last discharge or release from active duty.
You must forfeit $100 / mth of your basic pay for the first year of Active Duty. This amount is non-refundable.
Montgomery G.I. Bill - Selected Reserves
Same as MGIB Active Duty.
Six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve.
Officers must agree to serve six years in addition to their original obligation.
High school diploma/GED.
Maintain Selected Reserve Status.
Up to $297 per month for full-time institutional education (as of Oct. 1, 2005).
Generally your benefits end 14 years from the date you become eligible for the program.
You do not forfeit any pay as in the Active Duty version. The benefit is correspondingly less.
It's now $1,075/month, but when I attended college after my four years of service in the US Air Force, the benefit was much smaller. I was still the the reserves, so the amount I recieved was actually much smaller. I had to work. I don't see anything about public vs private, but I'm assuming the college you work at is affiliated with a religious' institution. (Doesn't mean I agree with this policy.)
My college is not affiliated with any religious institution. But it is $28,000 per year for tuition alone plus expenses and housing. It's out of the range of most military people. And it would appear that some students didn't know about the deduction requirement and didn't pay into it, therefore, will not be given an education.
Nick, $28/year is on the high side of college tuitions, and most middle class families can't afford it. When my nephew and niece graduated from med school, they both owed $125,000, and they had a heck of a time paying it off, because they make so little during their internships.
All of my siblings and I worked through college or owed at the end of our college education. My younger brother owed $8,000 when he got out of med school, but that bugger is richer than dirt. Owns properties in Orange County and farmland in San Joaquin County. He's a politician today, and works in Sacramento as a legislator. It's his second term, and he won by 63 percent of the votes. He's a republican in a democratic state.
My BS in accounting really helped with my career; it was short, but with full of challenge and rewards.
I guess a college education is worth what you put into it with some luck added on the backside.
cicerone imposter wrote:Nick, Where is the proof that the vets who served in Iraq are being denied college? First time I'm hearing about this cut-back, but have learned from a few years ago that Bush cut veteran's benefits, and they are now required to pay higher co-pays.
When Bush says anything about "we support our troops," it turns my stomach.
Higher co-pay? How is that possible. I have used the tri-care system twice since I have been home and haven't paid a dime for the visit or the meds. When it comes to college I have gotten so many emails from the AKO system that it isn't funny. I have more education benefits then I know what to do with and at this point I don't know what I'm going to do with them.
Are these soldiers using Dr's that are outside of the tri-care system? If so then there will be costs. I was able to find lots of civilian Dr's in my area that took my tri-care and it still doesn't cost me anything.
About the education thing. The military only gives you so much money for school. As long as your not trying to go to Harvard or Yale it should cover most schools.
Baldimo must be living in a third world country to be able to attend college on: "Veterans - there are four categories of Veteran eligibility depending on when you enlisted and how long you served on active duty. Up to $1075 per month for full-time institutional education (beginning Oct. 1, 2005)."
How in the world does one pay tuition, books, room and board on $1,075 per month in any school in the US - public or private?
Drug co-pay has gone from zero to $8, and now to $15. Tacked on will be a $250 annual premium - from zero.
cicerone imposter wrote:Drug co-pay has gone from zero to $8, and now to $15. Tacked on will be a $250 annual premium - from zero.
If this is so, how was I able to get my meds for free? Thats right, I didn't pay a dime for my meds and I got them all through my tri-care med plan. How does this work? If you think I got my meds on base your wrong, I got them at Rite Aid.
A lot of soldiers coming back from Iraq definitely need meds. Anxiety meds, pain meds, PSD meds etc.
NickFun wrote:A lot of soldiers coming back from Iraq definitely need meds. Anxiety meds, pain meds, PSD meds etc.
I'm sure they do but what does that have to so with what they are paying or not paying for meds?
The Department of Defense Chart must be wrong if you're getting your drugs free.
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