Yellow Ribbons Aren't Enough

A disturbing statistic was released by the Pentagon this week. Al Pessin from VOA writes:

The Army says this year's suicide total among soldiers could reach 130, out of a force of about a million and a half. That would be an increase of more than 10 percent over last year and it would bring the Army above the overall suicide rate for the United States, as adjusted to reflect the Army's demographics.

According to the Center for Disease Control's (Summer 2008 Suicide bulletin): More than 32,000 suicides occurred in the U.S. This is the equivalent of 89 suicides per day; one suicide every 16 minutes or 11.01 suicides per 100,000 population. Given those statistics the soldier suicide count is outpacing the national civilian average.

Reporter Jeff Schogel of Stars and Stripes notes that 115 soldiers took their lives in 2007, which was the highest number since the Army started keeping suicide statistics in 1980. Keep in mind these statistics are for active soldiers not veterans who have returned from war. The AP's Jennifer Kerr brought this out in a May '07 story:

WASHINGTON — In the three months after Marine Maj. John Ruocco returned from Iraq feeling numb and depressed, he couldn’t sleep. He had lost weight. He had nightmares. He was distracted and withdrawn from his two young sons.

One night, he promised his wife, Kim, that he would get help. The next morning, he was dead. The 40-year-old Cobra helicopter pilot, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., had hanged himself.

There are others. Army reservist Joshua Omvig. Army Capt. Michael Pelkey. Marines Jonathan Schulze and Jeffrey Lucey. Each came home from tours in Iraq and committed suicide.

Veterans’ groups and families who have lost loved ones say the number of troops struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health issues is on the increase and not enough help is being provided by the Pentagon and the Veterans Affairs Department.

Nearly all suicide victims share some common feelings or behaviors before suicide. Among them: depression, despondency, profound sadness, hopelessness, and failure. More victims are male and a majority are under the influence of drugs or alcohol when they commit suicide. That is significant given a report released this summer by Naval Health Research Center that alcohol abuse is rapidly growing among veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Add in the increase of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and you have a dangerous combination.

The Pentagon and VA are instituting new measures and programs aimed at lowering the suicide rate, but more needs to be done for returning veterans. Federal, state and local mental health professionals also need help since they are usually the first line of response. The military are under exceptional pressure and stress. Stir in family, financial or marital stress and you've got a dangerous powder keg.

In this year of presidential politics, views on the war aside, it's nice to hear the leaders of both political parties pledge unwavering support for the military while stumping for votes. There is much disagreement on the war, a pullout timetable, or post-war troop levels, but there is nothing standing in the way of either party, the Congress, or the Executive Branch from doing something now! January is too late. We owe our military an incredible debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they make. Parades and yellow ribbons on cars or trees are nice, but these brave men and women deserve much more from us. Why not ask every American family living above the poverty level to voluntarily donate $100 to such a cause? Yes, we need to pray, but let's raise the bar and ask our citizens to ante up for those who've offered their lives!