Suicide By Dave Phillips

The Air Force lost 38 airmen to suicide in 2008, a rate of 11.5 suicides per 100,000 airmen. The average over the past five years — since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom — was 11 deaths per 100,000 annually. Of the airmen lost in 2008, 95 percent were men and 89 percent were enlisted. Young enlisted men with a rank of E1 to E4 and between the ages of 21 and 25 have the highest risk of suicide. Recently released data indicates that active duty males carry, for the first time in known history, a suicide risk greater than that of comparable males in the general population (Psychotherapy Brown Bag, 2009). This is particularly noteworthy considering that the military entrance process screens out serious mental illness prior to entry onto active duty, and that the rate of suicide in military males has historically been significantly lower than comparable civilian populations. To help

There are an alarming number of veterans who suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression. The suicide rate on returning veterans is on the rise. In California, service members were killing themselves and family members at an alarming rate. After an investigation, it was apparent that they do not have enough properly trained individuals to over see

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and its Relation to Military Service Members Brianna C. Smith Paine College Abstract This paper explores post-traumatic stress and how it is seen as a disorder. Post-traumatic stress can manifest into post-traumatic stress disorder. The evaluation and review books and articles seem to reveal a relation to these symptoms and military member, either active or non-active veterans. These symptoms do not manifest strictly into the full-extent of the disorder in all cases of military, however, things such as depression and other physical symptoms are discussed through the readings. The end result is that we discovered that through the readings PTSD will in fact lead to suicide if left untreated.

Since this Friday is Remembrance Day, I decided to read an article about the veterans of Canada. This article was about the mental health of veterans when they return home from war, and how they need support. This article revealed that at least 70 veterans that went to war in Afghanistan, have died from suicide after their return home. In several cases, family members told the stories of their loved ones and gave information about their treatment and how they died.

In this world, there is no individual more tragic than the one who gazes into their future and is only able to see a perpetual cycle of despair and agony. War, in particular, has this incomprehensibly dark power—the ability to drive even the most cheerful among us into the oppressive

• Manny Bojorquez: In 2012 he attempted suicide after the deaths of comrades in his unit. His experience in the Marines is the basis for the article.

Daniel Wurtz Professor Davis English 102 Final Paper 5/11/15 The Government Doesn’t Care About Wounded Veterans Veterans make up seven percent of the American population, but they account for twenty percent of its suicides. Yes, that is indeed a real statistic, more importantly, what is the government, the people that ordered those men and women deliberately into harm’s way, doing about this tragedy. In light of recent conflicts the United States has been engaging in, such as the conflicts in the Middle East, a new silent killer of returning veterans, has become more visible to the public. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, has taken its toll recently on Veterans returning from the harsh

Figure 3 A widely believed cause of this increase in suicides lies mostly on combat aspects. Being in the military is a lifestyle that is truly physically draining. The day to day life of being in the military is stressful. Multiple tours, increased stress, longer hours ‘repetitive deployments and much longer deployments, being away from friends and family more than in the past than in recent years can be believed to take a heavy toll on service members. The Rand Corporation issued in a report on military suicides that states that the US involvement in conflicts since 2001 has taken a toll on the service that has manifested itself in increased suicides. Dr. Brian Craig, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University Of Texas Health Science Center, says that it is not just the traumatic events but the day to day stressors of combat that cause problems. He is also the lead risk management advisor for the DOD Strong Star Research Consortium and found in his research that it is “not being able to sleep in a comfortable bed, not having access to warm,

U.S. veterans and alcohol seem to go hand in hand. Even if a military member was not a user of alcohol prior to service almost all become a user during and after service. Alcohol is used frequently in military culture. Whether it is a celebration, promotion, victory, loss, demotion, or defeat alcohol is used to commemorate the moment. The question is what is alcohol and why is it the go to choice for services members?

The Effects of Substance Abuse among the Ranks of U.S. Army Soldiers Introduction The New York Times reported recently that suicides are on track for becoming the most common cause of death for members of the military in 2012, higher than the number dying in combat (Williams, 2012). Although suicides have occurred in all branches of the U.S. military, the Army accounts for a full 53% of the total number (AFHSC, 2012a, p. 7). The stress of combat is believed to one of the primary contributing factors to the dramatic increase in suicides among veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dave was washing his hands, hoping he could get done quick enough to avoid his

(2012) suggest that suicide prevention strategies must be implemented by professionals who understand military culture and the unique pressures of social cohesion and mental health stigma. Braswell and Kushner (2012, p. 535) agree that efforts must be implemented in a way that “account for the lived experience of soldiers.” Although these recommendations are in line with a growing body of academic scholarship on the topic of military suicide, it will be difficult to implement successful policy without a better understanding of what is behind the difference and change in suicide rate. With incomplete information or a lack of causality, policymakers will be unprepared to determine if the outcomes of their actions are an improvement compared to maintenance of current

When people think of the military, they often think about the time they spend over in another country, hoping they make it back alive. No one has ever considered the possibility that they may have died inside. Soldiers are reborn through war, often seeing through the eyes of someone else. In “Soldier’s home” by Ernest Hemingway, the author illustrates how a person who has been through war can change dramatically if enough time has passed. This story tells of a man named Harold (nick name: Krebs) who joined the marines and has finally come back after two years. Krebs is a lost man who feels it’s too complicated to adjust to the normal way of living and is pressured by his parents.

Dave Philipps article, In unit stalked by suicide, Veterans try to save one another focuses on veteran members of the Marine Corps, self-named the forgotten battalion. It details the lives of different members after they have served, as they deal with the suicides that continue to plague members of their battalion. One of those members Manny Bojorquez details his own struggle with suicide, and

“In a classic sociological study, Durkheim (1966) identifies four types of suicide: “altruistic” and “fatalistic” suicides which he associates with pre-modern, traditional community and “anomic” and “egoistic” suicides characteristic of modern society.” (Kuhling, 2004) The ideas of sociologist, Emile Durkheim have undoubtedly helped my understanding of suicide of contemporary society. Durkheim has aided me in understanding the complexity of this topical issue and made me more aware of the roots of suicide.