Loosing War: US Army suicides hit record for 2009
Suicides in the US Army rose to a new record in 2009, with 160 soldiers taking their lives, the military said on Saturday, calling it a “painful year.” Army leaders had warned that the suicide rate was on track to surpass last year’s toll of 140, but said the causes of the spike remain unclear. “There’s no question that 2009 was a painful year for the army when it came to suicides,” said Colonel Christopher Philbrick, deputy director of an army suicide prevention task force.