Suicide Rate Doubles For Army National Guard

By on January 20, 2011 in News 13

US_Army_National_Guard_InsigniaSome disturbing news out of Washington. CNN reports:

The U.S. Army announced Wednesday that the number of suicides rose again last year to almost one a day, despite major efforts to identify and help at-risk soldiers.

Suicides among active-duty soldiers actually declined for the first time in six years but the numbers increased among other soldiers, doubling in the Army National Guard.

The overall number of suicides for the 2010 calendar year was 343 — an increase of 69 over the previous year — and included self-inflicted deaths among active-duty soldiers, the National Guard, the Army Reserves, civilian employees of the Army and family members. The Army reported 156 active-duty suicides last year and 112 in the National Guard.

“The bottom line is this is a significant issue and clearly there is much to be done,” Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli said in a Pentagon briefing.

While active-duty and deployed soldiers are under constant observation and supervision, soldiers serving in the Reserves or National Guard who are not deployed may be off the Army radar for weeks at a time…

For more information, see original article.

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  • Guest

    They might possibly be less suicidal if we stopped forcing them to murder innocent children? Just a thought.

    • Bud Bundy

      Murder children? Fail troll is fail troll

      • News

        Many children are murdered and injured in Iraq Mr. Bundy. Both coalition attacks and militants are to blame. There has also been a significant National Guard presence (7% of recent force strength) in Iraq. His claim is not far-fetched.

        Also, I would most certainly say that the stresses of war-fighting are a cause of these suicides, as well as seeing the horrific events that unfold in Iraq, then having to come home and teach or resume your job at a factory.

        http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RS22451.pdf

        • Hadrian999

          returning guardsmen also don’t have the support network or structure that active duty soldiers, getting tossed back into normal life among people who have no clue what you’ve been through can be very stressful.

  • Guest

    They might possibly be less suicidal if we stopped forcing them to murder innocent children? Just a thought.

  • Nostratic

    Didn’t read the article, huh “For the National Guard, reasons for the suicides remain unclear and are not necessarily related to the stresses of war-fighting or finding work in a bad economy.”

  • Bud Bundy

    Murder children? Fail troll is fail troll

  • DeutschBag

    I think its the overuse of reserve component forces. How much of a reservist are you if it is not if but when you will be deployed, multiple times. Each time you come home and get discharged into society at large, which is many places is completely oblivious to the fact that a war is going on. Reserve component only meets one weekend a month for a reason….its supposed to be just a quick check if you are still there to be called up in case of emergency….not scheduled. If the purpose of the reserve component is to deploy at the rate they do, then the training regimen and funding is woefully inadequate for that mission.

  • DeutschBag

    I think its the overuse of reserve component forces. How much of a reservist are you if it is not if but when you will be deployed, multiple times. Each time you come home and get discharged into society at large, which is many places is completely oblivious to the fact that a war is going on. Reserve component only meets one weekend a month for a reason….its supposed to be just a quick check if you are still there to be called up in case of emergency….not scheduled. If the purpose of the reserve component is to deploy at the rate they do, then the training regimen and funding is woefully inadequate for that mission.

  • MoralDrift

    I think its the overuse of reserve component forces. How much of a reservist are you if it is not if but when you will be deployed, multiple times. Each time you come home and get discharged into society at large, which is many places is completely oblivious to the fact that a war is going on. Reserve component only meets one weekend a month for a reason….its supposed to be just a quick check if you are still there to be called up in case of emergency….not scheduled. If the purpose of the reserve component is to deploy at the rate they do, then the training regimen and funding is woefully inadequate for that mission.

  • News

    Many children are murdered and injured in Iraq Mr. Bundy. Both coalition attacks and militants are to blame. There has also been a significant National Guard presence (7% of recent force strength) in Iraq. His claim is not far-fetched.

    Also, I would most certainly say that the stresses of war-fighting are a cause of these suicides, as well as seeing the horrific events that unfold in Iraq, then having to come home and teach or resume your job at a factory.

    http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RS22451.pdf

  • Hadrian999

    returning guardsmen also don’t have the support network or structure that active duty soldiers, getting tossed back into normal life among people who have no clue what you’ve been through can be very stressful.

  • formerSGT

    Sure civilians are constantly in the line of fire, alot of times children. But if more reservist do their part as to serving in a combat role (rather than constant support) as I did in Afghanistan there would be less soldiers deploying 3-5 times. While other reservist (National Guard especially) get to stay stateside in an AGR status, getting rank, and giving orders to the frontline soldier that are returned to weekend soldiers again on their return home. We take orders from individuals who can care less about the invidual soldier but whose only concern is his/her career. Its a very lonely feeling to return to your unit after serving with a combat unit and know you have nothing in common with these ranked guys really did nothing to get that rank by keeping their paperwork up. I went over as an older guy but I can understand how some these younger soldiers who signed up to get their college paid for can come back with psychological issues that were there before. I was mature and educated enough to realize I needed to get help for myself before I did something stupid. My Stateside unit in no way encouraged me to seek help or anyone else who returned. Now they do it because they have to do it, and the attitude is the soldiers returning are a load that just takes up more of their time (like having to babysit) to the upper ranks. We must wonder why the suicide rate continues to grow.