For every US troop killed, 25 veterans commit suicide: Report

This file photo shows a US soldier in Afghanistan.

 

According to a New York Times article published on April 14, an American soldier dies every day and a half, on average, in Iraq or Afghanistan while veterans kill themselves at a rate of one every 80 minutes.

The article also said more than 6,500 veteran suicides are logged every year -- more than the total number of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq combined since those wars began.

One reason for veteran suicides may be post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), along with a related condition, traumatic brain injury, according to the article.

One study found that by their third or fourth tours in Iraq or Afghanistan, more than one-quarter of soldiers had such mental health problems, the article added.

Preliminary figures suggest that being a veteran now roughly doubles one’s risk of suicide. The article quoted a study in The American Journal of Public Health which said for young men aged 17 to 24, being a veteran almost quadruples the risk of suicide.

The United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003.

According to official figures released by the website icasualties.org, 1,936 American soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October 2001.

A total of 4,486 American soldiers have also been killed in Iraq since 2003.