Nearly as many American troops at home and abroad have committed suicide this year as have been killed in combat in Afghanistan. Alarmed at the growing rate of soldiers taking their own lives, the Army has begun investigating its mental health and suicide prevention programs.
But the tougher challenge is changing a culture that is very much about "manning up" when things get difficult.
This is the first in an occasional series of stories on the problem of suicides in the military.
Suicide Rates Rise Over Decade
There were 197 Army suicides in 2008, according to the Army's numbers. The total includes active- and non-active-duty soldiers.
Last year, the number was 245. This year, through May, it's already 163.
The Army has instituted many programs to counsel and train soldiers. Stephen Colley had undergone suicide prevention training.
The suicides continue even as America's war in Iraq is winding down and multiple deployments are past.
What is causing these men, and some women, to kill themselves?
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http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127860466
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