Redstone Report: Suicide among soldiers | News

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- More soldiers were killed last year by suicide than in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. With numbers like that, it's cause for concern for the US Army.

"It's something we've got to face. It's a different kind of enemy but our mission is to solve that just like we do with any other mission that the Army takes on," said Major General Lynn Collyar.

One way the Army is taking this on, Stand Down events, like the one held at Redstone Arsenal last week. It's a chance for people to be trained to spot the signs and intervene.

But it's hard to point out who is susceptible to suicide. Major General Collyar says there is no correlation between deployment, rank, age, or gender. One thing that does stick out in each case? Some type of transition.

"Whether it be a family situation, a move, a change of job, which we routinely do in the military," explained Collyar.

Major General Collyar believes that the lack of face to face communication between soldiers these days plays a part in combating suicide.

"Verbal communication is the easiest opportunity to see something is wrong and be able to act on it," he said. "And if soldiers email back and forth and text, you don't get that same personal interaction, you're not looking someone in the eye to see that there's something wrong."

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