IRAQ: UNITED STATES MILITARY COMBAT STRESS OFFICER COMMENTS ON SUICIDES OF U.S. SOLDIERS IN IRAQ

Record ID: 230516

  • Title: IRAQ: UNITED STATES MILITARY COMBAT STRESS OFFICER COMMENTS ON SUICIDES OF U.S. SOLDIERS IN IRAQ
  • Date: 25th October 2003
  • Summary: (W7)TIKRIT,175 KM NORTH OF BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 23, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV SOLDIERS PLAYING BASEBALL; SLV SOLDIER WATCHING (4 SHOTS) 0.24 2. SOUNDBITE,ENGLISH, COMBAT STRESS OFFICER U.S ARMY CAPTAIN JUSTIN COLE SAYING "Definitely morale.They see a soldier thay've been working with for six months injuring themselves and the morale can go down. But there is also or it could be a copycat effect let's say not if the soldier actually does commit suicide, but does injure themselves and gets to go back home then they could probably, perhaps want to injure themselves as well" 0.46 3. SLV SOLDIERS RESTING BY TIGRIS RIVER BANK 1.04 4. SOUNDBITE (English) U.S ARMY PRIVATE JAMES HAWKINS SAYING "Right now the Iraqis are using IEDs which are somewhat worse than actually putting up a fight because then we actually know who the enemy is. But now they're just using scare tactics, so every day when we go out there is always that scare that could be out there." 1.21 5. SOUNDBITE (English) CORPORAL VERNON O'DONNELL SAYING "Things are going alright. Time's kind of going slowly since we've been here for so long I mean it's six months here in Tikrit almost seven now. We're in that home stretch catching your second wind. People getting ready to leave now so it is getting a little better now. Living conditions are not bad either. Six more months (left for him to go)" 1.40 6. SCU FEMALE SOLDIERS FILLING CAR WITH OIL; MV SOLDIERS CHATTING BY THEIR VEHICLE; SCU SOLDIER READING FORCES NEWSPAPER; SLV SOLDIERS SITTING A CIRCLE AT THE PALACE; MV SOLDIER (5 SHOTS) 2.04 7. SCU/MV SOLDIERS AT CYBER CAF; SCU 'CAN I GO HOME PLEASE' PAINTED ON WALL. (4 SHOTS) 2.26 8. COMBAT STRESS OFFICER U.S ARMY CAPTAIN JUSTIN COLE SAYING "A lot of them want to get back home. I've only worked with two soldiers over here and I don't think the issues on hand were combat issues. I think they are missing home and very much wanted to go back home. As a result of that they did some harm to themselves. Unfortunately they did pass away.I don't think that the motivator fact was being here, doing their mission or the operation. So I guess the issue is homefront issues missing home and doing whatever they can to get home." 2.57 9. SLV SOLDIERS WITH AMMUNITION LAID ON THE FLOOR; MV SOLDIERS PREPARE TO LEAVE ON A MISSION; MV SOLDIERS IN LAST MINUTE BRIEFING BEFORE THE MISSION STARTS (5 SHOTS) 3.22 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th November 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TIKRIT, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA70IWPZUWYXCCS5YPCWK8FDKQ9
  • Story Text: U.S. soldiers who have committed suicide in Iraq
    were mostly just desperate to return home and may have
    meant only to injure themselves, a military combat stress
    officer said.

    Officials in Washington said last week at least 13
    soldiers have killed themselves in Iraq, representing more
    than 10 percent of non-combat deaths.

    More cases are being probed. Captain Justin Cole, who
    works at a U.S. military base in Saddam Hussein's home town
    of Tikrit, said that while a majority of soldiers are
    dealing well with the stress of being away from home, for
    some it was proving too much.

    Cole said: "They see a soldier thay've been working
    with for six months injuring themselves and the morale can
    go down."
    "But there is also or it could be a copycat effect
    let's say not if the soldier actually does commit suicide,
    but does injure themselves and gets to go back home then
    they could probably, perhaps want to injure themselves as
    well", Cole added.

    On the base at Tikrit, a former Saddam palace used by
    up to 3,000 soldiers, morale is good, dampened only by
    boredom and homesickness.

    But some soldiers said they were getting more nervous
    about the tactics used daily by Iraqi guerrillas fighting
    the occupation.

    Private James Hawkins said the Iraqis use of roadside
    bombs was making U.S. soldiers scared to leave their base.

    "Right now the Iraqis are using IEDs which are
    somewhat worse than actually putting up a fight because
    then we actually know who the enemy is. But now they're
    just using scare tactics so every day when we go out there
    is always that scare that could be out there."
    Soldiers spend many hours a day filling time, using
    the internet to talk to their families, playing games or
    just chatting with friends, On the walls of the recreation
    centre, cartoons show a character pleading to go home but
    generally the soldiers live in decent conditions, with
    working showers and plenty to eat.

    Cole said missing home was the biggest problem facing
    soldiers. He said he had personally dealt with two
    self-inflicted deaths. One soldier shot himself in the leg
    after being told he could not go home, hitting an artery.

    Another, a woman, shot herself in the stomach. He said
    neither had intended to kill themselves.

    According to the Pentagon, 104 soldiers have been
    killed in combat since President George W. Bush declared
    major combat over on May 1. Many more have died in
    non-hostile incidents. For the majority however, the job
    still goes on, and there are many months left to deal with
    before they can go home.


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