Drug deaths among wounded troops investigated

[unhappycamper]

Drug deaths among wounded troops investigated
By Pauline Jelinek - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 19:46:02 EST

Lt. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, the Army’s surgeon general, said there has been “a series, a sequence of deaths” in warrior transition units.

Without giving a number, Schoomaker said the deaths among the convalescing troops were “accidental deaths, we believe, often as a consequence of the use of multiple prescription and nonprescription medicines and alcohol.”

“This isn’t restricted to the military alone, as we all saw the unfortunate death of one of our leading actors recently,” Schoomaker told Pentagon reporters.

The New York medical examiner announced Feb. 6 that Ledger, the 28-year-old “Brokeback Mountain” star, died Jan. 22 from an accidental overdose — the effects of taking six types of painkillers and sedatives.

~snip~

Soldiers who have killed themselves most commonly have used weapons, not drug overdoses, which accounted for less than 10 percent of suicides in recent years, according to Army figures.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/02/army_drug_deaths_080208w/



uhc comment: Isn't it nice the military is tracking suicides?