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Interesting on US Suicides

Posted by Alexander (Guest) - Saturday, October 25 2003, 23:03:20 (EDT)
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Homesick troops commit suicide
By Fiona O'Brien TIKRIT, IRAQ

US soldiers who have committed suicide in Iraq were mostly just desperate to return home, and may have meant only to injure themselves, a military combat stress officer said.

Officials in Washington said last week at least 13 soldiers have killed themselves in Iraq, representing more than 10 percent of non-combat deaths. More cases are being probed.

Justin Cole, who works at a US military base in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit, said that while a majority of soldiers are dealing well with the stress of being away from home, for some it was proving too much. He said he had personally dealt with two self-inflicted deaths. One soldier shot himself in the leg after being told he could not go home, hitting an artery. Another, a woman, shot herself in the stomach. He said he thought neither meant to kill themselves.

"I don't think the issues on hand were combat issues," he said.

"I think they were missing home, and as a result did harm to themselves. Unfortunately they passed away." The extent of the problem is difficult to judge. Army officials have expressed concern about the suicides but the overall commander of US forces in Iraq said the number of suicides among his troops was comparable to an average similar-sized group of people in the US. Cole said he knew of one case where a soldier overdosed on medication and was too far from proper medical treatment to recover.

Reuters

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Interesting on US Suicides Alexander - Saturday, October 25 2003, 23:03:20 (EDT)
- War Splits Military Families Sadie - 10/26 01:20
  - Aww how cute, Alexander - 10/26 01:24
    - Because Sadie - 10/26 11:35

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