Essay on Suicide in the Military - 2234 Words

Suicide in the Military Candace L. Clark Park University October 7, 2009 Stressed by war and long overseas tours, U.S. soldiers killed themselves last year at the highest rate on record, the toll rising for a fourth straight year and even surpassing the suicide rate among comparable civilians. Army leaders said they were doing everything they could think of to curb the deaths and appealed for more mental health professionals to join and help out. Clearly, the military is going above and beyond to try and prevent further lives from being taken. According to the sociologist Emile Durkheim, when a person has a very strong degree of social connectedness, he or she may identify with its values or causes to such an extent that†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"We must eliminate the perceived stigma, shame and dishonor of asking for help,† said Adm. Patrick Walsh, vice chief of naval operations. â€Å"This is not simply an issue isolated to the medical community to recognize and resolve...† Such efforts should include keeping an eye on those clo sest to the suicide victim, said Brian Altman, acting chief operating officer for Suicide Prevention Action Network USA, a Washington-based public policy and advocacy group. (Air Force Times). The Air Force lost 38 airmen to suicide in 2008, a rate of 11.5 suicides per 100,000 airmen. The average over the past five years — since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom — was 11 deaths per 100,000 annually. Of the airmen lost in 2008, 95 percent were men and 89 percent were enlisted. Young enlisted men with a rank of E1 to E4 and between the ages of 21 and 25 have the highest risk of suicide. Recently released data indicates that active duty males carry, for the first time in known history, a suicide risk greater than that of comparable males in the general population (Psychotherapy Brown Bag, 2009). This is particularly noteworthy considering that the military entrance process screens out serious mental illness prior to entry onto active duty, and that the rate of suicide in military males has historically been significantly lower than comparable civilian populations. 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Therefore, I must be aware of the current programs and service being utilized in the field of practice to prevent suicide. In this section, I will be identifying current services and programs aimed at preventing suicide among military service members and veterans. Additionally, I will address the effectiveness of these programs and services, what research has beenRead MorePersonnel Suicide Prevention among Junior Enlisted and Fellow Officers1240 Words   |  5 PagesS. military today is suicide. According to an article written by Kristina Wong on ABC News, â€Å"More than 2000 of them [military personnel] have killed themselves in the past decade, including last year [2010] compared with 153 in 2001.† (Wong, 2011). The suicide rates vary from branch to branch, and most likely to occur in veterans and active duty members ranking from enlisted to officers. 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