[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 117 (Thursday, July 30, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H9170-H9171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NUMBER OF MARINE SUICIDES INCREASING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week I was saddened to read an 
article in the Marine Corps Times with the heading ``7 July suicides 
push Corps to record pace.'' I will submit that article for the record.
  The article states, ``At least seven Marines are believed to have 
killed themselves so far in July, putting the Corps on a record pace 
despite broad-based efforts introduced to reduce suicides.''
  The Corps is on a pace for about 56 suicides in 2009, which would 
shatter a record set last year when the Corps lost 42 Marines to 
confirmed or suspected suicide. The article further states, ``Marine 
suicides have increased annually since 2006.''

              [From the Marine Corps Times, July 30, 2009]

                July Suicides Push Corps to Record Pace

                     (By Dan Lamothe, staff writer)

       At least seven Marines are believed to have killed 
     themselves so far in July, officials said, putting the Corps 
     on a record pace despite broad-based efforts introduced to 
     reduce suicides.
       The deaths come as the service rolls out a new suicide-
     prevention program this week focused on getting sergeants and 
     corporals to take a more active role in watching for signs 
     that a Marine may be in danger of killing himself. Nine 
     Marines killed themselves in June, and 33 have done so this 
     year, said Maj. Carl Redding, a spokesman at Marine Corps 
     headquarters.
       The statistics were discussed Monday at the Sergeants Major 
     Symposium, an annual meeting of the Corps' top enlisted 
     leaders in Washington. The 33 dead Marines put the Corps on 
     pace for about 56 suicides in 2009, shattering a record set 
     last year, when the Corps lost 42 Marines to confirmed or 
     suspect suicides.
       ``We're looking at all options to get a handle on this,'' 
     said Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, the Corps' top enlisted adviser. 
     ``We're trying to pinpoint what we can do, and we're going to 
     stay engaged until we find a fix for it.''
       Marine suicides have increased annually since 2006, when 25 
     Marines killed themselves. Thirty-three Marines are believed 
     to have committed suicide in 2007, Marine officials said.
       The recent numbers have alarmed Marine leadership, 
     prompting additional ``all-hands'' prevention training in 
     March that included videos made by commanders, a slideshow 
     outlining recent statistics and an overview of warning signs 
     shown by Marines at risk of killing themselves.
       On Monday, senior enlisted leaders discussed a next wave of 
     suicide-prevention training that has been in the works for 
     months. Noncommissioned officers throughout the Corps will be 
     trained to watch for suicide signs more carefully, with 
     ``master trainer'' sergeants who went through 3\1/2\ days of 
     training in July at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., now 
     fanning out across the service to teach NCOs how they can be 
     a better help to at-risk Marines.
       The new training package will include a 30-minute video 
     featuring professional actors portraying Marines, and 11 
     documentary film clips featuring Marines who considered 
     killing themselves and survivors of Marines who did, the 
     Corps' senior enlisted leaders were told Monday. It will 
     focus in part on eliminating the stigma of reporting a Marine 
     who is considering suicide, officials said.
       ``Peer groups have to recognize the signs at ankle level, 
     not chest level,'' said Sgt. Maj. Michael Timmerman, the 
     senior enlisted adviser with the Personal and Family 
     Readiness Division at Marine Corps headquarters.
       Kent said he wants NCOs to feel empowered to report that a 
     Marine in turmoil may be considering suicide, but he believes 
     senior enlisted leadership and officers also need to be 
     actively involved.
       ``We still have to provide the guidance, oversight and 
     support,'' he said of senior enlisted leadership. ``We have 
     to give [NCOs] the tools they need'' to prevent suicides.


[[Page H9171]]


  Unfortunately, the Army has reported a similar increase in suicides. 
The suicide rate among Army soldiers hit its highest level in three 
decades in 2008 when there were 128 confirmed suicides.
  Yesterday, at a hearing of the Armed Services Subcommittee on 
Military Personnel, I was impressed with the comments by military 
leaders from each of the four services who described the steps they are 
taking to combat psychological stress among servicemembers. I was also 
pleased to read in the Marine Corps Times that the Corps has taken 
increased suicide rates seriously by rolling out a new suicide 
prevention program and implementing additional all-hands prevention 
training. However, I also believe that the policymakers in Washington 
have a role to play.
  With Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station 
Cherry Point in my district, I am well aware of the strain that the 
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have placed on our Nation's marines and 
their families. Military officials have speculated that repeat combat 
deployments and the toll these deployments have taken on 
servicemembers' marriages and families have contributed to increased 
suicide rates.
  Mr. Speaker, I also believe that continuous war without a clearly 
defined goal is contributing to anxiety and depression among some of 
the members of our military.
  In recent days, I have come to the House floor to talk about our 
Nation's military involvement in Afghanistan and the importance of 
knowing the end point to our war strategy. After nearly 8 years in 
Afghanistan, President Obama's order for a surge of additional troops 
will certainly lead to more killed and wounded, more frequent 
deployments and more stress on our military and their families. That is 
the price of war.
  While American military personnel faithfully conduct their missions 
abroad, elected officials here in Washington also need to take 
seriously their responsibility to develop a viable, long-term strategy 
for these operations.
  I have spoken to many in the Army and Marine Corps who say our Nation 
needs an end point to its war strategy. Many servicemembers have gone 
to Iraq and Afghanistan more than once, and their desire to serve this 
Nation is greater than ever, but the stress placed on our all-volunteer 
forces cannot continue forever.
  That is why I will continue to urge the President to work with his 
military commanders and the Congress to articulate to our men and women 
in uniform what is to be achieved and to develop the best possible 
strategy for achieving our goals and wrapping up our military 
commitment in Afghanistan. I will also continue to work with my 
colleagues in Congress to ensure adequate funding for mental health 
programs for servicemembers and veterans.
  Before closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Department of 
Defense and our military leaders who are doing everything possible to 
help servicemembers who suffer from anxiety and depression.
  Mr. Speaker, as I do just about every night that I come to the floor 
of the House, I have to close this way, because I regret that I voted 
to send our troops to Iraq. I have signed over 8,000 letters to the 
families and extended families so that I could say to God, forgive me 
for making that decision.
  So my close will be this. God, please bless our men and women in 
uniform. God, please bless the families of our men and women in 
uniform. God, in Your loving arms, hold the families who have given a 
child dying for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  And, dear God, because America is in so much trouble, I will close 
three times by asking, God please, God please, God please continue to 
bless America.

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