Army's Suicide Prevention Efforts: Challenges and Promises

The Army's suicide prevention efforts continue to be a major concern, with General Peter Chiarelli, Army Vice Chief of Staff, highlighting the need for more substance abuse counselors to effectively address the issue. Despite a third of the 140 reported suicides having no deployment history, General Chiarelli expressed difficulty in finding a causal link between deployment and stress on the force. He emphasized the importance of the National Institute of Mental Health study, which may provide answers to the complex issue. As the Army continues to grapple with this sensitive topic, the need for accurate and comprehensive data remains a priority.

Key Takeaways:

• The Army has a shortage of substance abuse counselors, hindering the effectiveness of its suicide prevention program.
• General Peter Chiarelli has difficulty finding a causal link between deployment and stress on the force, despite a third of reported suicides having no deployment history.
• The National Institute of Mental Health study is expected to provide answers to the Army's suicide prevention efforts.
• Brigadier General Colleen McGuire, Director of the Army Suicide Prevention Task Force, is part of a team working to address the issue.
• General Chiarelli acknowledges that some suicides occur in theater, but exact numbers are not readily available.

Statistics:

• 140 reported suicides in the Army, with a third having no deployment history.
• Less than a third of suicides occur in theater.
• The Army is working to expand its program to other posts, camps, and stations.

Sources:

• Federal News Service, Inc. (2009) "Department of Defense Media Roundtable Briefing: The Army's Suicide Prevention Efforts".
• Bloomberg News (2009) "Tony Capaccio with Bloomberg News".
• Army Times (2009) "Gina Cavallaro from the Army Times".