Army Reserve and National Guard Suicide Rates

Interesting reports today about increased suicide rates in the Army Reserve and National Guard. I haven't looked at the actual data, but I wonder if the rates are actually increased or if the reporting has improved both in terms of quality and quantity, hence we now know more about the population. We don't actually know that much about the Reserve and National Guard population because it is so transitory. It only gets together one time a month. Units are being filled with people from various parts of the US for deployment then split up again once everyone comes home.

I can say that I dearly miss the colleagues I served with in Afghanistan. We are spread across the Southeastern US, rather than in a one-block radius on a military post in Kabul. Many were added to my reserve unit at the last minute--me included--and we were the "loose ends" group, as one of my friends called us. Always behind in training, always at late night sessions trying to catch up while the rest of the unit prepared. I don't know if their mental health is poor--they are too far away, and I am too consumed with getting myself back to work to tune in to them. We have texted and called for brief chats. Amazingly, I didn't have time to have a "social" life in Afghanistan, working 16 hour days, but I knew that they were always there. Funny people with vivid interesting lives, doing the best they could do in a hard environment. And now there's a little hole where they were. I'm back at work in a supportive environment, with super colleagues. But most have never worn body armor, fired an M4, run to catch a helo carrying 40 pounds of gear in 120 degree heat while herding frightened Afghans and trying to act like the situation was all normal, or worse yet, stood at a memorial for 5 young soldiers killed by a crazed attacker, or hung out with a 3-star general at 1:30 in the morning and listened to his stories of other's bravery and loss, watching him weep and laugh under the pallid flourescent lights. While I'm glad to be home, it's just a different world, with its own demands and rigors. If you come home and don't have support, I can see where your spirit would nosedive.