Officials: Army suicides at 3-decade high

Officials: Army suicides at 3-decade high
By Pauline Jelinek - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 29, 2009 8:19:04 EST

WASHINGTON — Defense officials say suicide among U.S. soldiers increased again last year and is at a nearly three-decade high.

The Army plans to announce figures later Thursday, but senior officials told The Associated Press that at least 128 soldiers killed themselves last year.

And the final count will likely be considerably higher than that because more than a dozen other suspicious deaths are still being investigated and could also turn out to be self-inflicted.

In 2007, the number was 115 — the highest since record keeping began in 1980.

Officials say troops are under unprecedented stress because of repeated and long tours of duty due to the simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.


Article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_army_suicides_012909/%2e