Army Suicides at Highest Level in 26 Years

Posted by Pam Spaulding at 6:42 AM on August 16, 2007.

This post, written by Pam Spaulding, originally appeared on Pam's House Blend

Mission accomplished. Support our troops. Those slogans ring hollow over and over -- and now this.

Army soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a new military report.

The report, obtained by The Associated Press ahead of its scheduled release Thursday, found there were 99 confirmed suicides among active duty soldiers during 2006, up from 88 the previous year and the highest since the 102 suicides in 1991 at the time of the Persian Gulf War.

...Last year, "Iraq was the most common deployment location for both (suicides) and attempts," the report said.

...Failed personal relationships, legal and financial problems and the stress of their jobs were factors motivating the soldiers to commit suicide, according to the report.

"In addition, there was a significant relationship between suicide attempts and number of days deployed" in Iraq, Afghanistan or nearby countries where troops are participating in the war effort, it said. The same pattern seemed to hold true for those who not only attempted, but succeeded in killing themselves.

Tagged as: iraq war, suicide, army

Pam Spaulding blogs at Pam's House Blend.