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| Suicides have outnumbered combat deaths in US troops in 2008 and 2009 |
Suicide
among US troops has sharply increased this year, hitting a rate of almost one
death per day, figures show.
As of 3
June, the army's 2012 active-duty suicides reached 154, compared with 130 in
the same period last year, the Pentagon confirmed to the BBC.
The number
far exceeds US combat deaths for the same period.
"We
are deeply concerned about suicide in the military," a Pentagon
spokeswoman said, adding it was "one of the most urgent problems"
they faced.
While the
reasons for the increase are not entirely understood, the army's own data
suggest soldiers with multiple combat tours are at greater risk. But a portion
of those taking their own life have never deployed, the figures show.
Suicide
among troops had levelled off during 2010 and 2011, but 2012 has seen the
fastest pace since the US war in Afghanistan began in 2001.
Strength or
weakness?
News of the
suicide rate increase comes despite years of effort by the US military to
encourage troops to seek help for mental health problems.
Those
efforts include setting up confidential telephone hotlines and placing more
mental health specialists near the battlefield.
But reports
suggest that some in the military continue to believe that going for help is
seen as a sign of weakness.
Last month,
Major General Dana Pittard, a commander in the 1st Armored Division, retracted
an Army blog post made in January in which he told soldiers considering suicide
to "act like an adult".
Gen Pittard
also counselled soldiers to seek help, but his remarks drew public rebuke from
top Army officials, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
General Martin Dempsey.
Gen Dempsey
said he disagreed with Gen Pittard "in the strongest possible terms",
the Associated Press reported.
Pentagon
spokeswoman Cynthia Smith told the BBC that "suicide prevention is first
and foremost a leadership responsibility".
"Seeking
help is a sign of strength," she added.
"Healing the Military Energies in our family Tree" – Jun 13, 2011 (Kryon channelled by David Brown)
“ … There’s much violence and anger throughout the world; when we look at the Middle East, we can see that changes are coming there. The West has a lot of power over the Middle East, but that power will begin to dissolve. The Muslim people of this world will begin to have their own power, and their own prosperity, and they will begin to disconnect from the Western World. This disconnection doesn’t have to be violent as violence only happens when somebody hangs onto what doesn’t belong to them....
“ … There’s much violence and anger throughout the world; when we look at the Middle East, we can see that changes are coming there. The West has a lot of power over the Middle East, but that power will begin to dissolve. The Muslim people of this world will begin to have their own power, and their own prosperity, and they will begin to disconnect from the Western World. This disconnection doesn’t have to be violent as violence only happens when somebody hangs onto what doesn’t belong to them....
... What Military Energy means if we use an analogy: it would be like putting grinding paste into the oil of your motor car. Once you release these energies you will begin to feel lighter as you disconnect from this reality, and, you will find it easier and easier to release any other negative emotions. Military Energies are the core of all your problems...."
(Matthew channelled by Suzanne Ward, June 3, 2012)
“…. 22. Beyond those myriad personal situations, beyond the civilian casualties in war zones, and beyond the financial burdens to the peoples whose nations are at war is the global emotional impact. It can be said that the condition coined post traumatic stress disorder is endemic to Earth. No one is immune to this battle energy that permeates your world, no one can escape the ravages that centuries of bloodshed have inured generation after generation to accept as humankind’s nature and lot in life. Yet, the fear of dying is just as pervasive, and that sets up a paradox that minds have to come to terms with. …"
(Matthew channelled by Suzanne Ward, June 3, 2012)
“…. 22. Beyond those myriad personal situations, beyond the civilian casualties in war zones, and beyond the financial burdens to the peoples whose nations are at war is the global emotional impact. It can be said that the condition coined post traumatic stress disorder is endemic to Earth. No one is immune to this battle energy that permeates your world, no one can escape the ravages that centuries of bloodshed have inured generation after generation to accept as humankind’s nature and lot in life. Yet, the fear of dying is just as pervasive, and that sets up a paradox that minds have to come to terms with. …"
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