California Army National Guard Experiencing Unusual Increase in Suicide Rate

[SASless]

Lately, the California Army National Guard has been very active in overseas deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and thus experienced significant exposure to combat situations.

There seems to be additional factors at play that are proving very stressful to the members of those units in California with some serious reaction to those stressors.

California National Guard reports puzzling increase in suicides (http://www.duffelblog.com/2016/10/california-national-guard-reports-puzzling-increase-suicides/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=Duffel%20Blog&utm_content=California%20National%20Guard%20reports%20puzzli ng%20increase%20in%20suicides)




The rest of the story.....which is a real problem for so many combat veterans of the Units involved.

A great many are experiencing genuine hardships due to the policy being implemented that requires the repayment of Bonuses given for them to re-enlist for combat duty.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/24/us/national-guard-recruitment-bonus-repayment/

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-national-guard-bonus-20161020-snap-story.html

[West Coast]

Out today, SecDef has suspended the repayment requirement.

[Lonewolf_50]

Wonder why it took him so long? Then again, staff work takes time ... SASless, I am not puzzled by a spike in suicides. Beyond the usual issues with deployments, suicides seem to go in bunches, rather than as a steady burn. (Having been to no less than 7 suicide prevention seminars, three of which had me wanting to slit my wrists just to get the annoying sounds to stop, there was some interesting stuff presented to try to get a grip on a very hard nut to crack.)

[West Coast]

Wonder why it took him so long?

I certain it wasn't due to the goodness of his heart but rather the intense backlash that went viral due to vet groups raising the issue loudly.

[SASless]

The Duffle Blog article is pure Satire.

I am not suggesting that Veteran Suicides are really increasing due to this specific act.....I just find the Duffle Blog articles pretty funny sometimes. That they are based upon actual events but twist them around a bit just works to make them more effective.

Congress is supposed to have known about this for at least two years....and I am sure the SecDef knew about it for nearly that long as did the Chairman JCS, the Army Chief of Staff and the Adjutant General of the California Army National Guard.

To wait till this late date shows not one of them had any Balls or concern for the Soldiers affected!

Those Soldiers did their Duty...many being killed or maimed in the process.


https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14264066_10100833901561833_2529091702493361321_n.jpg?oh=773b e1e11906b24df58fcd297ddc640c&oe=589D22FD

[riff_raff]

The CA national guard members accepted the re-enlistment bonuses on a good faith basis, so there is no criminal intent on their part. Many of the bonuses were paid up to 10 years ago. There should at least be a legal statute limit of something like 4 years that would apply in these cases. For federal violations, the US president also has the right to grant them pardons.

[SASless]

Fat Chance of that happening....they are in the Military and not Crack Dealers in the Federal Prison system.

[air pig]

What form of drug therapy was used for anti-malarial protection as some do have well known psychotic side effects. Is this a contributory issue to the situation?

[West Coast]

I would think it would have spiked in all services if it was something like that, assuming the meds are the same for all services.

[Basil]

policy being implemented that requires the repayment of Bonuses given for them to re-enlist for combat duty.
Bally heck! I thought it was a wind-up and was looking for the punchline.
Glad to see SecDef has suspended the repayments.