Suicide now claims more US troops than enemy fire - Rate of almost 1 per day

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
12/29/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

We must ask why this is happening and do more to address the root causes.

American troops have a secret enemy who is killing them more frequently than the insurgents and terrorists they fight. According to the Department of Defense, soldier suicides now claim more victims than enemy fire.

Solders are now a greater danger to themselves than the enemy.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - In 2012, potential suicides among U.S. soldiers reached 303, while combat related deaths in Afghanistan have totaled 212. Some of the probable suicides remain unconfirmed and under investigation.

The suicide rate among active duty and reserves is so great that the average is now approaching one per day. That rate continues to increase, even as operations in Afghanistan prepare to draw down.

Suicides continue to occur even in spite of additional training and prevention programs implemented over the past few years to address the issue.

Part of the problem is that soldiers, especially those who have been deployed, face unique stresses, even beyond the threat of the enemy. While troops are deployed, they remain in close contact with loved ones and others back home sometimes this creates stress as opposed to buoying morale. These stresses, such as mortgages and bills, challenges with left-behind loved ones and more, are exacerbated by deployment and the individual's limited ability to influence what happens by virtue of their presence in a combat zone.

Substance abuse also plays a factor, with some soldiers turning to drugs and alcohol to cope.

New legislation is in the works will require that soldiers found to be mentally unstable to tell if they own personal firearms. However, this is a single band-aid type solution and will not do much to curb the overall problem.

Some of these weapons have been used by soldiers to commit crimes, even at home. The number of recent veterans who face criminal charges and even prison for violent crimes has also risen.

Ironically, the Department of Defense has announced that in 2011, 53 percent of the confirmed suicide victims had no history of deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan.

While the military continues to address the issue, society must face a much broader concern. When children are trained to serve as killers to protect our interests both home and abroad, we create casualties that are not simply measured by flag-draped caskets and hospital beds. Some of the casualties continue to walk among us for years, even decades, after the last shots have been fired.

War is hell.

� 2012, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Solider, suicides, Afghanistan, Iraq, veterans

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1 - 6 of 6 Comments

Paul-Emile Leray
4 months ago
Wars are senseless bloodbaths. A direct quotation from who? Pope Benedict XVI. Why is it that a "just war" is often dependent on who is defining the terms? If anyone thinks that all US wars are just, then that person is incredibly naive! Was slavery in the US just? Were all the wars of the British, French, colonization processes and times just? Who would go to war if the leaders would tell the soldiers "you are about to fight an unjust war and we are the unjust side"? Think about that for a minute, some of you SHEOPLE gazing political ideology mesmerized SHEEP! Does anyone honestly think and believe that what the government and the political elites tell us is truth? If you do, your ignorance deserves to be JAILED! I know some people who were on the INSIDE when American authorities were using agent orange in certain lands. I know some American counsellors overseas personally; believe me NOT all US wars are just wars. A clown would believe, uncritically, that all US wars are just wars. An IDIOT would believe that all US wars were just. Anyone who thinks all US wars are just is simply STUPID! Period. What a WASTE of time and energy trying to educate some people, one might as well be talking to a mosquito. You should be questionning everything, instead of blindly following political ideologies and bureaucratic propaganda! Your brain is also part of your being, use it some of you. I have no doubt most American soldiers are generally quite good people, however the leaders brain-washing them along with the political elites are those who are the true terrorists in many instances. That ought to be obvious to everyone. Each side tells their own side that the other side is the enemy. Focussing people on a common enemy bonds people and keeps them unified while focussed on an enemy, whether real or perceived. Go to a sports stadium. If you and your neighbors disagree on everything, but at least cheer for the same football or baseball team you at least have that in common and can agree on that. True? True. Stupidity and ignorance ought to be jailed! I am one inch from removing myself from this website, to simply read the articles with no further commentary since I fear I am often wasting my time with posts. Are you Catholic first or Americans first? You can be both, but not to the same degrees. If you are American first, then you are a nationalist and inferior intellects are nationalists. (at least, according to many wise people throughout history) If you are American first, at all costs, you risk in becoming just as stupid as the followers of Hitler were! Your tribal mentalities are no more superior than those of terrorists, tribal leaders, gangs, etc, if you are a nationalist. Go ahead and criticize me, it would give me pleasure to offer you the more analytical version but since I know most of you can't handle it I offer you these little tips of the iceberg. Some of you really need to wake up and slap yourselves over the head with your own morning coffee pots because you are simply NAIVE and STUPID, many of you! Facts are what? FACTS! Are the children of the American presidents on the front lines on battlefields? If their political ideologies are so important, what are they doing negating their own children from the great blessed opportunity of dying for their country? They'll be national heros! Heck, the politicians themselves could have people singing and serving up hero speeches if they would go on the front lines themselves instead of just talking about war. And don't attack the messenger, attack the issues and the people who manipulate you through political ideologies and propaganda on YOUR taxes! Of course war is hell! I know enough former soldiers to at least know why they do NOT like talking about it, since it is hell! Wake up, some of you couch potato Catholics who have the critical thinking skills of a grasshopper! I love shredding people from their ignorance by peeling off the layers of dead skin surrounding their souls, much as one does with an onion until getting to that soft inner core. Whoever is good and angry reading this, good! The truth usually gets violently opposed and human nature often ridicules it and even at times kills the messenger because humans are generally stupid. It has been this way for thousands of years!
Paul-Emile Leray
Jeremiah
4 months ago
War is hell. The armed man must (is called to) fight against the war and protect those who are unarmed.
The wise editor would cancel two last paragraphs (indents) of this otherwise good piece.
Momma
4 months ago
I am horribly upset with this article I can't believe you would write this about our military. "When children are trained to serve as killers to protect our interests both home and abroad, we create casualties that are not simply measured by flag-draped caskets and hospital beds." My husband was a Marine and he is a kind and just man. I have never met a service member that was a KILLER. I am sure all military members would love to know that Catholic Online considers them to be MURDERS!
carrie
4 months ago
How dare you call military men and women killers! This article disgusts me.
Spiritus Gladius
4 months ago
The real enemy in these wars is Satan. He knows how to get inside of the heads of the good guys. Satan is against us, because we are against those who seek to murder Christians. His ragtag militant terrorists are incapable of bringing down our men, so Satan steps into the arena himself. I have seen the destruction that he can do to the minds of men and women. We must turn to God.
abey
4 months ago
Woe unto Obama & the Democrats for their Gay agenda induction into the army, many more will they kill.

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