More Soldiers Have Committed Suicide in 2012 Than Died in Combat — It’s Time to Fix This NOW.
Having been at war in the Middle East for more than a decade now, the number of U.S. soldiers who commit suicide continue to rise -- so much so that more have died from ending their own lives than having died in combat in 2012.
From January to August, the U.S. Army alone reported 212 suicides by soldiers, many of whom who had not even step foot in Iraq or Afghanistan yet.
Over the same time period, the Army reported 171 soldiers died from combat.
On average, one U.S. soldier commits suicide each day of the year.
As we continue to face challenges overseas and soldiers are either deployed or are awaiting deployment, the government is tackling the issue of helping soldiers who are suffering from depression, to post-traumatic stress disorder and other illnesses that are leading to the major spike in suicides.
But the government is not doing nearly enough.
- Leadership
- Improving access to and quality of health care.
- Elevating mental fitness to the same level as physical fitness is in the military/DoD culture
- Increasing research into suicide prevention
Add to that, military members are needing increased assistance once they return from deployment and if they leave the military. The need for a national, government-backed campaign against soldier suicide is a greater need than ever.
It's time for a change. It's time for an effort to be made. Our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, classmates and best friends are taking on a sacrifice beyond measure. They are facing death on a daily basis.
Our military members deserve better.
Show your support by sharing this post and "signing" your name in the comments below with the phrase, "Our military members deserve better."
More From 101.5 KNUE
