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Army's Stress Most Obvious at Fort Hood

Repeat deployments prompt record levels of suicide, depression

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 6, 2009 12:46 AM CST | Updated Nov 6, 2009 6:16 AM CST
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(Newser) – Fort Hood has had more suicides than any other US Army facility since the start of the Iraq war, and while Nidal Hasan, the man officials say is responsible for yesterday's massacre, likely had unique motivations, he was perhaps only the most troubled member of a volunteer force buckling under the strain of repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Ten soldiers have killed themselves at Fort Hood this year alone.

Nationwide, 117 active-duty soldiers have killed themselves this year—up from 103 last year. The Army is also seeing record rates of depression, substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder due to a level of psychological strain that army officials say is unprecedented, the Washington Post reports.

Soldiers from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment plan out their course of action at the Army Base at Fort Hood, Texas in front of the Soldier Resiliency Center as they try to locate Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who shot and killed 12 people Thursday Nov. 5, 2009.
Soldiers from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment plan out their course of action at the Army Base at Fort Hood, Texas in front of the Soldier Resiliency Center as they try to locate Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan,...   (AP Photo/Killeen Daily Herald, David Morris)
In this image made from Associated Press Television video, police respond at the scene at the U.S. Army base in Fort Hood Texas where a soldier opened fire, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left at least 12 people dead and at least 31 wounded.
In this image made from Associated Press Television video, police respond at the scene at the U.S. Army base in Fort Hood Texas where a soldier opened fire, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left at...   (AP Photo/APTN)
Emergency personnel take a wounded person on a stretcher to an awaiting ambulance at the scene at the U.S. Army base in Fort Hood Texas where a soldier opened fire.
Emergency personnel take a wounded person on a stretcher to an awaiting ambulance at the scene at the U.S. Army base in Fort Hood Texas where a soldier opened fire.   (AP Photo/APTN)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 16 comments
Shannonals
Nov 7, 2009 12:52 PM CST
How exactly did 911 relate to going to war with Iraq mandra? What was accomplished going to war with Iraq? The one problem the country has is that we war with countries and than spend trillions and thousands of American lives rebuilding and occupying them.
Middleman
Nov 6, 2009 11:39 AM CST
@Tomo: I'm not going to debate the merits or crimes of the last President, but I am going to ask about the "never did squat to the USA", "military weakness" assumption, and the "deaths of thousands". 1) Iraq defied the US and world community for over 10 years in regards to weapons inspecters, etc and despite the world's best effort to forget about the 10,000+ Kurds that were killed by Saddam using Chemical Weapons (a WMD by definition), there were, in fact, reportedly no Nuclear weapons. So although they never attacked us directly, they did plot/ attempt to assassinate the former President Bush and defy the good order and discipline of the world community. Hence the reason Saddam received the death penalty from his own countrymen for being a war criminal. Either way, maybe they didn't deserve an invasion, but they weren't poor innocent children that we stomped out of meaness. 2) Military weakness? They've got peace-keeping fatigue. The military is good at killing people and breaking things. They are not trained to be policeman, which is exactly the role that they've been religated to. That is something that can definitely be put onto the last President, but since the good old days (sarcasm) of warfare where one race would wipe out another are behind us, no modern era President or military has figured out a way to combat this problem. So I'm going to have to disagree that the military has been weakened. They're just not good at participating in a fight with thier hands tied. If we go back to "war", I can assure you they're more than ready. 3) Deaths of thousands... are you crediting him with everytime an insurgent blows himself up and no American is within 2-3 miles or are you talking specifically about mis-fires and errant bombs? I'll give you that in warfare there is a certain expectation of civilian deaths and that is terrible. I'll even say that as the Commander in Chief, he bore the weight of those decisions and is by way of decision, responsible. But I have to take pause if you're saying every asshole with a suicide vests is the last President's fault.
donnz
Nov 6, 2009 11:36 AM CST
Is 'IT, possible that humans have finally evolved to the extent, that they can no longer psycholically deal with the concept of war? Ahhh... but, the Religious Right, does not believe in 'Evolution. Oh well, so much, for that theory.

 
suicide • alcohol abuse • US Army • PTSD • Iraq war • Afghanistan war • American soldiers • Fort Hood • Fort Hood shooting • Nidal Malik Hasan

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