Military Suicides

“In the last few weeks, four young gay men have committed suicide, all in some way connected to fear, shame or isolation around the issue of their homosexuality. I’m horrified by this, and ashamed… I’m just as alarmed that during three days in late September, four soldiers at Ft. Hood Army base in Texas took their own lives… The New York Times reported Monday that 20 soldiers connected to Ft. Hood have committed suicide this year… The base’s suicide rate is about four times the national average.” “Stoicism and name-calling doesn’t work. Nor do stand-downs and speeches. Individual Americans can help close the military-civilian divide by demonstrating the belief that suicides among service members demand our immediate attention as a society.”