Suicide rates increasing among soldiers

Two different worlds – that's what American soldiers live in.

One is their home, America, and the cities or towns they live in. Another is their temporary residence overseas.

National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Niemiec knows the feeling of having two separate homes – he spent January 2008 to December 2008 in Afghanistan on his second tour of duty.

He left behind his friends, fiancée and four children to serve America. During his time in Afghanistan, he gained insight into the differences between life in the two countries.

'While I was in Afghanistan, my fiancée was complaining to me one day about how loud the roadwork was outside our house,' Niemiec said. 'She said that every time a car rode passed [the roadwork] a ‘boom' sound was made. I told her that every time I heard a ‘boom' sound, I ran for cover.'

Aside from the differences of noisy roadwork versus a life-threatening situation, Niemiec and other soldiers throughout the military have seen an unfortunate decision that some soldiers come to – taking their own lives.

Military suicide rates have been steadily rising. The rates increased 13 percent from 2006 to 2007, bringing to total number of suicides to 115. This is expected to increase.

'I see suicides mostly with the younger crowds; it's different for different ages,' Niemiec said.

Soldiers tend to marry and start families earlier than civilians, according to Niemiec. Leaving behind a family is not easy and sometimes, problems can accompany a soldier's departure.

'My kids sometimes resented me for leaving because I missed out on a lot,' Niemiec said.

With the holiday season approaching, it is especially hard for soldiers to be away from home. While holiday cheer spreads throughout America, an overwhelming sadness can swallow some soldiers overseas. Some turn to their units for comfort, while others resort to isolation.

'The frustration of being isolated in the military definitely plays a part [in suicide], and it is frustrating,' Niemiec said. 'It's hard being separated from the people you love at a national time of togetherness.'

Suicide is something many people find hard to comprehend. Most people believe suicide is preventable, while others believe it's taking the easy way out.

'Suicide is a choice. It's a decision that a person makes,' said Navy Seaman Corey Alan Smith. 'Sometimes you can only see what's right in front of you. And what's right in front of you is not always worth living for.'

Only the soldiers fighting overseas know of the hardships battle carries. The emotional and physical strain of war is hard for civilians to judge.

'You can't understand … the strain of being over there,' Smith said. 'You think you can imagine it, but you just can't until you experience it. You can never know what you'll do until you're in the situation.'

War takes a toll mentally, physically and economically on a nation and its people.

Psychologically, some soldiers come back bearing a burden too great for them to carry. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can be part of that burden and often creates a risk of suicide.

PTSD is caused by 'a situation in which a person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death, serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others,' according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Traumatic events are associated with an increase in a person's risk for suicide, according to the national center for PTSD. There is also correlation between soldiers suffering from PTSD and suicide.

Soldiers with PTSD can also have episodes of flashbacks and in some cases these flashbacks can include feelings of 'intense fear, helplessness, or horror,' according to the DSM-IV.

In response, the military has started taking steps to lower the number of suicides.

One issue is the amount of mental health practitioners currently in service, as in Iraq where there are 120,000 troops and 200 practitioners, according to Dr. Stephen Wallace, head of veterans affairs at UB.

'One of the problems lies with attracting mental health professionals,' Wallace said.

A goal for the military is to have one practitioner to every 700 troops.

Wallace added that another problem is the difficulty of getting soldiers to come forward when they are in need of mental health assistance.

A common fear among soldiers is appearing 'weak' for admitting to mental health conditions, according to Wallace.

'If you are seen as a warrior, anything that undermines that view, including mental health concerns is exasperated among service people,' Wallace said.

Wallace added that there are military suicide prevention programs.

These programs emphasize seeking help, treatment options, and recognizing signs of suicidal behavior.

While reasons for the recent increase in suicide are uncertain, the problem is not taken lightly.

'Nobody has the answers,' Wallace said.

E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com