A Study into suicides by members of the US military has determined the probable cause. A task force which was assigned to study the mental states of military force members has found that low manning levels and many assignments to multiple wars have led to increasing demands on troops.
Multiple deployments to the various wars being conducted by the US have created unprecedented physical and mental demands, according to the Joint Department of Defence Prevention of Suicide Task Force, with the result being that more people within the military are committing suicide.
A recently released report said the cumulative effects of many factors had contributed significantly to the increase in the incidence of suicide.
After interviewing over two thousand people, including service members, their families, behavioural health professionals and chaplains, the task force has recommended many changes to the way military personnel are deployed, including: Reducing stress on the force; focusing efforts on service member total fitness; developing a comprehensive stigma-reduction campaign to encourage people to seek help; coordinating and leveraging community health services, including off-base programs; standardizing suicide investigations and expanding their focus to learn about the last hours, days and weeks preceding a suicide or attempted suicide; and supporting and funding ongoing Defence Department suicide prevention research to enhance knowledge and inform future suicide prevention efforts.
The problem of suicide in the forces has been growing year by year with nearly 250 soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen committing suicide in 2010.
The other factors recognized by the task force were failed intimate relationships, overwhelming financial indebtedness and legal problems.
Recommendations in the report, some already being put into place, include: beefing up the Army’s suicide prevention program and making behavioral health care more accessible to soldiers in combat and other high-stress environments.
In an address to an audience of more than 1,000 military and other government agency health-care workers and officials gathered for the 2nd Annual Suicide Prevention Conference sponsored by the Defence and Veterans Affairs departments, Adm. Mike Mullen and his wife, Deborah, shared their thoughts and concerns on the issue.
Admiral Mullen said that while he recognizes the challenge the armed services have had in combating suicide while waging wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s a challenge that can’t be overlooked.
“The subject of suicide is one of tremendous difficulty and challenge and understanding, and there have been a lot of people who have worked on this diligently for many, many years,” the chairman said. “Certainly, with the rise in the numbers in all the services since these wars, (Defence Department officials have) started to really look at the causes and get to a point where we can prevent this and understand this.”
Useful links
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38837546/ns/us_news-life/
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2009-01-30-voa59-68626972.html
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