Army Suicides On The Rise

WASHINGTON (AP) - Pentagon officials say there were fewer Army
suicides last year than they had feared. But it was still the
highest number in almost two decades.
Two defense officials said Thursday that 108 troops committed
suicide in 2007, the most since 1990. The officials spoke on
condition of anonymity because the full report on the deaths wasn't
being released until later Thursday.
Preliminary figures released in January showed as many as 121
troops killed themselves, but a number of the deaths were still
being investigated then.
Suicides have been rising. The 108 last year followed 102 in
2006 and 85 in 2005.
The increases come despite a host of efforts to improve the
mental health of a force stressed by lengthy and repeated
deployments to Iraq.