This is the fourth attempt to assess the suicide rate and reasons for suicide among soldiers deployed to Iraq, as part of a larger effort of reporting throughout the Army. This article notes that there have been 72 confirmed U.S. soldier suicides in this war to date and describes the procedure for collecting these data, including inclusion criteria. The majority of these deaths involved single, White, male, junior enlisted soldiers, with the cause of death being a self-inflicted gunshot wound and is consistent with profiles of earlier reports. The implications of these findings for improving the Suicide Prevention Program are discussed.
Dolan, C.A., Schroeder, E.D., Wright, K.M., Thomas, J.T., & Ness, J.W. (2003). USAREUR suicide surveillance project: Data summary and program evaluation [USAMRU-E Technical Report]. Heidelberg , Germany: U.S. Army Medical Research Unit—Europe .
2.
Eaton, K.M., Messer, S.C., Garvey-Wilson, A.L., & Hoge, C.W. (2006). Strengthening the validity of population-based suicide rate estimates: An illustration using U.S. military and civilian data. Suicide andLife Threatening Behavior, 34, 182-191.
3.
Mental Health Advisory Team I. (2003, December 16). Operation Iraqi Freedom Mental Health Advisory Team (MHAT) report: Chartered by U.S. Army Surgeon General and HQDA G-1. Retrieved November 17, 2007, from www.armymedicine.army.mil
