Article

2009-02-05 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Sleretle Thraish9086 2009-02-05 18:52|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

#1 This shouldn't take a 5 year study as they already have the records for many years in the past. It just takes someone to review the files and question family and co-workers. Most of that may have already been done.

I smell someone fishing for a grant.

Posted by tipover 2009-02-05 20:24|| 2009-02-05 20:24|| Front Page Top

#2 Tipover, sadly your sense of smell is off base on this one.

The Army leadership is really concerned right now. They went to NIH for ugent and timely help, NIH didn't come to them looking for extended grants.

Posted by lotp 2009-02-05 20:56|| 2009-02-05 20:56|| Front Page Top

#3 The article mentions PTSD, weather and possible side effects of medication as possible factors contributing to this spike. Sleretle suggests the inauguration of Obama as another factor.

One that hasn't been mentioned is the economy. We have soldiers who've been deployed 4 and 5 times now. That's a huge emotional and financial strain on their families - and doubly so if they are reservists or guardsmen who were called away from higher paying jobs. If a soldier's spouse just lost her job, or if he worries about being unable to resume his regular work when he rotates home, it's another and major stressor on top of all the rest.

Add in losing your girlfriend or spouse, or the possibility of policies under the new administration that seem, perhaps because you're already depressed, to render the deaths of your buddies meaningless ....

Posted by lotp 2009-02-05 21:40|| 2009-02-05 21:40|| Front Page Top

#4 Military families don't make much money. I am willing to bet it might be more related to mortgage foreclosures than to anything with the military.

Army personnel have mortgages too, and they don't make a lot.

Posted by crosspatch 2009-02-05 21:43|| 2009-02-05 21:43|| Front Page Top

#5 I haven't seen the age breakdown, but if many of these soldiers are single, 18-24 and being treated for PTSD, then the anti-depressant side effect theory is pretty likely.

But if they were older, or are married, yeah - the economy is a huge worry right now.

Years ago when our toddler and I followed 2Lt Lotp to the Silicon Valley area, there was no variable housing allowance. We got the same housing pay for one of the most expensive areas in the country as people sent to Mississippi and Alabama. Painful.

There were enlisted elible for welfare benefits in our area that year, a fact that finally shamed Congress into changing the housing payment.

Posted by lotp 2009-02-05 21:55|| 2009-02-05 21:55|| Front Page Top

#6 The Army said 24 soldiers are believed to have committed suicide in January alone -- six times as many as killed themselves in January 2008, according to statistics released Thursday.

The Army said it already has confirmed seven suicides, with 17 additional cases pending that it believes investigators will confirm as suicides for January.

7 with 17 pending [a maybe] for 24 which is 6x of 8 for 2008. How many murders have occurred in Chicago in January? Yes the Army is smaller than the population of Chicago as a whole, but just use the population profile of mostly young males 18-36. Still, be very concern, but its not the world ending either. There are about 520,000 in the regular lists, not counting reservists and NG on active duty who'll be off the active rolls by 30 Sep. I suspect we lose something close to this in accidents [on duty and vehicular]. Again, it needs attention, but this is also MSM crisis reporting as well.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-02-05 23:28|| 2009-02-05 23:28|| Front Page Top

23:41 JDB
23:28 Procopius2k
23:28 3dc
23:26 Barbara Skolaut
23:18 Barbara Skolaut
23:11 JosephMendiola
23:08 KBK
23:07 JosephMendiola
23:06 mojo
23:03 JosephMendiola
22:59 JosephMendiola
22:31 Rednek Jim
22:30 Sherry
22:18 trailing wife
22:05 Frank G
22:02 Frank G
22:02 Barbara Skolaut
21:59 Barbara Skolaut
21:56 trailing wife
21:55 lotp
21:54 badanov
21:54 Barbara Skolaut
21:50 trailing wife
21:43 crosspatch