[BGHater]

‘Do the math: the 121 alleged instances of homicide identified by the Times, out of a population of 700,000, works out to a rate of 17 per 100,000—quite a bit lower than the overall national rate of around 27.’

The author expresses the obvious fact that the homicide rate for returning veterans is lower than the overall national rate.

However, he excludes several factors that we should consider.

All military members are selectively screened and have ‘higher’ standards than your typical murderer.

Service members have an High School equivalent in education, lower criminal background, and have been psychological screened to be determined fit to be in the military.

If the authors point is to initial support the military is clear, however adding the factors I suggested and if you get a problem, or symptom that we need to address, and that will benefit the military in the long run.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The author is trivially refuting the inference made by the NYT "reporter" that spending time in Iraq or Afghanistan causes homocidal behavour in otherwise normal people, quite successfully, imho.

[LadyDoc]

yes, since the Armed forces screen out druggies and criminals, the murder rate should be lower...

But the Army has a much higher percentage of minorities than civilian population. And some of these minorities have a higher murder rate than the general population.

[Alas Babylon!]

So you’re saying that while 17 is lower than 27 given the military’s standards it should be much lower.

Well, it is. You see, the NYT article was based on 6 years, not one. The US average is an ANNUAL rate of 27 out of 100,000. The 127 deaths attributed to GIs total span 6 YEARS!

So the number is 17 out of 100,000 DIVIDED by 6. Now it’s much, much lower.