Talking Points - Military Suicides
Download PDF of Talking Points 
- January 2009 saw 24 suicides in the Army -- 6 times the number of suicides in January 2008. There were 4 in January of 2008, 6 in January of 2007 and 10 in January of 2006. source
- Total suicides for 2008 are 128. Suicides have been rising steadily since 2004 amid increasing stress on the force from long and repeated tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. source
- The monthly count follows an annual report released in January by the Army showing that soldiers killed themselves at the highest rate on record in 2008. The toll for all of last year - 128 confirmed and 15 pending investigation - was an increase for the fourth straight year and even surpassed the suicide rate among civilians. source
- Army Secretary Pete Geren has ordered a stand-down of the Army's entire recruiting force and a review of almost every aspect of the job is underway in the wake of a wide-ranging investigation of four suicides in the Houston Recruiting Battalion. source
- Investigators found poor command climate, failing personal relationships and long, stressful work days were factors in the suicides, the investigation reported. The investigating officer noted a "threatening" environment in the battalion and that leaders may have tried to influence statements from witnesses.
- One suicide victim's story from the Houston Battalion: Nils Aron Andersson - Andersson was a 2=tour Iraq veteran. On March 5, 2007, after around 3 months of dating, he married Cassy Walton. The next day March 6, 2007 he killed himself with a gunshot to his temple. Cassy found his body and tried to give him CPR. Diagnosed as having a bipolar disorder; Cassy killed herself the next day March 7, 2007. source
- The irresponsible and abusive Command climate leading to suicide is not isolated to Recruiter Command or to domestic assignments.
- Another suicide victim's story: Pfc. Jason Scheuerman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on July 30, 2005 while serving in Iraq. Documents and interviews showed that Scheuerman seemed "out of touch with reality," and showed "depression-like symptoms." An army chaplain watched him "bobbing his head on the muzzle" of his gun, but a psychologist sent him back, suggesting he could be exaggerating illness to avoid duty. "The people that I trusted with the safety of my son killed him," says Scheuerman's dad.
- His dad said, "Jason desperately needed a second opinion after his encounter with the Army psychologist....The Army did offer him that option, but at his own expense. How is a (private first class) in the middle of Iraq supposed to get to a civilian mental health care provider at his own expense? source / source
- Army's Suicide Rate has Outside Experts Alarmed
Most died serving in Iraq after major combat phase: This news article from December 2003 shows that red flags were being raised about the rising number of suicides. The growing problem should not be a surprise. Military leaders have had over 4 years of people giving them warnings. source - The Army said it would hold special training from Feb. 15 to March 15 to help troops recognize suicidal behaviors and to intervene if they see such behavior in a buddy. After that, the Army also plans a suicide prevention program for all soldiers from the top of the chain of command on down. source
- Army Secretary Pete Geren acknowledged that officials have been stumped by the spiraling cases. "Why do the numbers keep going up? We cannot tell you," Geren said at a Pentagon press conference last week. source