As previously noted, news reports indicate that the US Army is continuing to face a tragic trend in suicides within its ranks.  The trend is nearly double the rate for 2008, during which there were 138 confirmed suicides (with 5 cases still under investigation).

The Army has said it is “standing down” for suicide training, as well as “standing up” a task force to be headed by Brig. Gen. Colleen McGuire, a military police officer.

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli has said that “suicide is a multi-dimensional problem and as such will take a multi-disciplinary approach to dealing with it.”  McGuire will look “across all disciplines [so commanders] can have a menu of tools, of training programs and experts that he can turn to and know how to best employ.”  To that end, reports indicate they are investigating suicide prevention methodologies in a variety of fields, including both mental health and the Chaplaincy.

From Army Suicide Prevention Posters: Talk to your Chaplain or a Behavioral Health Professional…

Despite criticisms of religious interference, the Army continues to work with Chaplains, who see soldiers’ “issues” on a day-to-day basis.  At a suicide-prevention “summit,” Chaplains discussed suicide prevention methodology, including life skills training, intervention, fostering hope, and engaging grief and recovery.  There were also discussions on the much-maligned “Strong Bonds” retreat for married soldiers and “Battlemind,” a resource intended to help soldiers and families prepare for, and recover from, combat deployments.

As previously noted, the intent is to reduce the stigma of seeking help and provide soldiers with a variety of legitimate means with which to combat the trend of suicides in their ranks.  In that vein, CNN has also updated a previous USA today article on two high-ranking Generals who have publicly discussed the counseling they sought for post-combat stress.