Military suicides: what does this tell us?

US military suicide rate EXCEEDS combat fatalities!

Press TV

More U.S. soldiers and veterans have died from suicide than from combat wounds over the past two years. The latest research indicates that suicide recently has surpassed combat death as a cause of mortality in the military.

Senator Patty Murray is leading efforts on Capitol Hill to find out why the suicide rate has skyrocketed. She says experts have not yet given her a precise answer.

The US has been at war in Iraq and Afghanistan for more than a decade. Murray says multiple deployments and unemployment are factors in the rising suicide rate.

The unemployment rate among young veterans is over 27%. Murray has introduced legislation, which would provide job training for veterans and special access to employment.

But it's also well known that the US mental health care system is failing military vets. Veterans coming home from war complain they are plagued with paperwork when they seek help from the Veterans Administration. The VA recently hired 3,500 mental health professionals and say their policy is to assess new veterans within 24 hours if they are in crisis. But the effort seems to be failing.

Lawmakers say they will stay committed, but so far it is unclear if there can be an immediate response to the suicide epidemic.

Experts say much more must be done than just criticizing the VA because the number of suicides is tragically and unacceptably high