American Soldiers in Afghanistan: Suicide Deaths Nearly Equal Combat Deaths
- There were 197 Army suicides in 2008, according to the Army’s numbers. The total includes active- and non-active-duty soldiers.
- Last year, the number was 245.
- This year, through May, it’s already 163.
The Army has instituted many programs to counsel and train soldiers with a goal of suicide prevention. Several of them have failed. Often, as soldiers transitioned from one assignment to another, the new station was unaware of past mental health issues.
Source: U.S. military branches (2001-09) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (latest figures through 2006)