Suicides in Marine Corps Rise by 29% [WaPoo. Barf bag recommended.]

The Washington Post ^ | February 25, 2005 | By Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post Staff Writer

[aculeus]

The Marine Corps suffered a 29 percent spike in suicides last year, reaching the highest number in at least a decade, with the demanding pace of military operations likely contributing to the deaths, the top-ranking U.S. Marine said yesterday.

Thirty-one Marines committed suicide in 2004, all of them enlisted men, not commissioned officers. The majority were younger than 25 and took their lives with gunshot wounds, according to Marine statistics. Another 83 Marines attempted suicide. There were 24 suicides in 2003, and there have not been more than 29 in any year in the last 10.

[aculeus]

Yes indeed. Seven (7!) more marines offed themselves in 2004 (31) than in 2003 (24).

Only a leftwing paper would chose to headline the scare percentage 29 (!) rather than the much less alarming real number of 7.

But we dare not question their patriotism.

[DarkSavant]

Statistics don't lie, statisticians do.

[Red Badger]

Not more than 29 per year in the past ten years? Then actually suicides ARE DOWN!.......

[frogjerk]

Unfortunately, leftwing MSM idiots have not followed this trend...

[verity]

I suspect the proximate causes of most suicides were personal problems rather than combat operations.

[cynicom]

Can't wait to see what our Marine heros here on FR have to say about this.

[dvldog03]

While I'm sure that there are some Marines out there with real problems (battle fatigue), the fact is that most of these cases occur right before a deployment. The reason for this is simple... JODY

[finnman69]

I predict the blogs will FISK the hell out of this article and 29% stat.

[American_Centurion]

JODY

Exactly what I was going to say.

[Fenris6]

Wapo pulled this same stunt with friendly fire in Desert Storm - using the friendly fire death : combat death ratio without telling its readers that the reason the stat was so high was because combat deaths were so few.

// damn thats not the most concise sentence... my English prof may come back from the dead just to bop me on the head.

[dvldog03]

Ahhh yes, not a greater swordsman has ever lived. The great Jody Swunglow. Stealing our women snce 1775.

[msnimje]

What is the change in suicide among the general population?

[kellynla]

I would bet dollars to donuts that these Marines brought emotional baggage with them when enlisted. It's unfortunate that these Marines' problems were not detected and solved before they committed suicide.
But let's not jump to conclusions and blame the Corps and/or the Navy!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[Jhensy]

For us clueless folk, what is JODY?

[dvldog03]

Jody Swunglow is the man that will be performing unspeakable feats of sexual acrobatics with your wife/girlfriend while you are deployed.

[joshhiggins]

A few choice quotes from the "story" "... last year's suicide rate ... was still below the national average for a comparable civilian group..." and "since 2001 24 percent of the suicides have been committed by Marines who have been deployed there" (In Iraq/Afghanistan)
I wonder what year the number of suicides was 29. The "story" doesn't say so I assume it was probably during the Clinton years. Also how do these suicide numbers compare to the actual number of marines serving? Again the "story" doesn't say, so I assume that the rate may actually be falling when total numbers of marines is factored in. I suspect that a little research would show this to be another BOGUS story from the Washington post.

[Blue Collar Christian]

"JODY"

"Exactly what I was going to say."

I remember the poor fellow that came back from "Desert Storm" only to have his wife and JODY conspire to kill him(and succeed). This kind of stuff is going to happen and it sucks, but it's not because of U.S. foreign policy, or military tactics or training etc. as these MSM types imply.

God bless our enlisted men and women. If only people would understand how a loved one that prefers JODY is not worth pursuing.

[tlb]

U.S. Suicide Rates by Age, Gender, and Racial Group


graph at link, I'd post the graph if I knew how

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/suicideresearch/suichart.cfm

[Blue Collar Christian]

"What is the change in suicide among the general population?"

I bet it varies a lot more than 7 in a year.(It is OK for you and I to abuse stats, isn't it?)

[aculeus]

Ping.