Unlocking Soldier Suicide
The Army can identify soldiers who are most at risk, but acting on that information poses a moral dilemma.
The phrase “war is hell,” perhaps first uttered by Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman during the Civil War, is both a concise description and partial justification for what happens when opposing blades, bullets and bombs meet human flesh.
But for some soldiers, those three brief words signify something darker and far more personal. One of the most troubling statistics to emerge from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks has been the suicide rate among military personnel. In 2012, for the first time, more active-duty service members killed themselves (349) than died in combat (295). While suicide affects all military branches, its consequences within the Army have been felt most keenly.
NEXT STORY: The Startup Shake Up