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Military Suicides on the Rise
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Military Suicides on the Rise

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Suicides among America's active soldiers and veterans are outpacing combat casualties -- and the numbers are increasing — even as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down. We hear how family survivors, the Pentagon and others are searching for answers. Also, anti-Putin protest gathers despite pressure, and New York Times columnist Gail Collins and her claim that Texas has "hijacked the American agenda."

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Making News

Anti-Putin Protest Gathers Despite Pressure ()

Large crowds opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin turned out in Moscow today, despite yesterday's police raids on the homes of ten leading opponents. Fred Weir is Moscow correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor.

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Main Topic

The Suicide Epidemic in America's Armed Forces ()

Last week, the Associated Press reported some daunting statistics: In the first 155 days of this year, there were 154 suicides among active troops in the US military. Veterans are killing themselves at the rate of one every 80 minutes, for a total greater than the combat deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. The Pentagon has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to find out why. Are ten years of multiple deployments taking a tragic toll? Is it the warrior culture? We talk with the widow of a veteran who took his own life and others who are looking for answers.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: offers 24/7 free and confidential, nationwide network of crisis centers. Veterans can press 1 with confidentiality and privacy
800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) or www.SuicidePreventionLifeline.org

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors:
800-959-TAPS (800-959-8277) or taps.org

 

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Reporter's Notebook

Conversation with Gail Collins ()

tp120612collins-bk.jpgGail Collins is a regular columnist for the New York Times. She often writes about politics, and she never lets us forget that Mitt Romney drove to Canada with his dog strapped to the top of the car. Now she's written As Texas Goes…: How the Lone Star State has Hijacked the American Agenda, a cautionary book about Texas and its influence on the rest of the country.

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