The National Rifle Association -- recognizing negative long-term trends in hunting and gun ownership -- is betting heavily on the participation of military personnel to sustain its future. Last year the organization unveiled its "Life of Duty" sponsored membership program.
This new membership marketing push -- funded apparently in large part by members of the gun industry -- offers a potpourri of publications, videos, articles, gun-related doo-dad discounts, and insurance products "to help the NRA's mission of honoring, embracing and supporting America's true heroes in the military and law enforcement who fight daily for our freedoms and our American way of life."
Coinciding with the NRA's efforts to latch onto America's soldiers is a stunning increase in the incidence of gun suicide in the military. Last week, the Army issued a new study documenting the problem of suicide in the armed forces. According to the study:
The active duty Army suicide rate steadily increased between CY2004 and CY2009 from approximately 9.6 per 100,000 to 21.9 per 100,000... surpassing the demographically adjusted national suicide rate for the first time in CY2008... Although the Army active duty rate has slowed since CY2009, suicides have continued to increase with a projected high of approximately 24.1 per 100,000 for CY2011.
Most of these suicides -- 68 percent -- were completed with gun. This compares to approximately 51 percent suicides involving a gun in the civilian population.
Last week, General Peter Chiarelli, the Army's Vice Chief of Staff and the officer who heads the Army's efforts to reduce suicide among its soldiers, told CNN:
A majority of them (suicides) have two things in common, alcohol and a gun. That's just the way it is... And when you have somebody that you in fact feel is high risk, I don't believe it's unreasonable to tell that individual that it would not be a good idea to have a weapon around the house.
Not unreasonable, unless, of course, you're the NRA.
Although the NRA like to wrap itself in the flag of others' valor while professing to look out for the best interests of U.S. military personnel, its concern evaporates when a soldiers' health butts up against the chance to sell just one more gun.
Despite the fact that 48 percent of military suicides in 2010 were committed with personal firearms, last year the NRA rammed through a new federal law prohibiting military commanders from being able to "collect or record any information" regarding the personal firearms held by U.S. troops living off base.
In an interview with the Christian Science Monitor, General Chiarelli expressed concern that the NRA gag law interferes with commanders' ability to have important discussions with soldiers about weapons and personal safety.
The article cited a Center for a New American Security policy brief that found that:
[A]lthough only 1 percent of Americans have served during the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, former service members represent 20 percent of suicides in the United States.
This sad and life-threatening situation is just the latest evidence than when faced with the choice of public safety or increasing the profits of firearm manufacturers, the NRA will always choose their patrons in the gun industry -- even when the lives placed at risk are those of U.S. military personnel.
Or that of any other American for that matter.
Follow Josh Sugarmann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/VPCinfo
Given the propensity for professors, especially English professors, to be liberals and progressives and anti-gun, it is exceedingly unlikely that we chose, at random, 24 professors who happen to be NRA members.
When living on post, a service member has to comply with a different set of rules as they are on government property.
I know Josh objects to this, but there it is.
It's official. Josh and the VPC have set a new standard in irrelevancy. It's almost embarassing at this point.
This is the most biased and preachy treatise I've ever read.
"The majority of suicides have two things in common. Alcohol and guns."
So... no call for prohibition of alcohol? Didn't think so.
The writer would also have us believe that the prohibition of "collecting and recording information regarding a soldier's gun ownership" somehow magically prevents a commander from discussing safety issues with a soldier. That is patently absurd.
Returning soldiers are dying from untreated or unsuccessfully treated PTSD, not from gun ownership.
How about we stop asking these dear people to killl and risk life and limb in the unjustified policing of the rest of the world, and let them defend our own borders? The stress on a soldier is far more bearable when they are doing something they can actually believe is worth the sacrifice.
Just kidding, if that didn't come through.
First, a solder uses a rifle 24/7 for years. He wakes with it, he sometimes sleeps with it, and he spends countless hours on a shooting range learning how to kill with it. Many of these veterans have shot and killed people with their rifles. They know and understand the sleepless nights that go along with that act. He understands guns and what they do, and that is why he chooses that way to end his pain.
Second, the USA is trashed with democrats crapping on the freedoms that us soldiers fought to protect and defend. You find that you are a second class citizen and find that the White House has labeled you a potential terrorist because you took an oath to protect a constitution that they would love to see destroyed. Police look at us with distrust, and sometimes open hostility. The press ignores what we did over there, and even while soldiers starve in Afghanistan the press is silent. I'm not a proponent of suicide, but damn, I understand. If you want to stop suicides, then start honoring the freedoms that the soldiers fought for, don't write articles using soldiers to further your agenda of death.
Lastly, if you didn't serve in the military, you have no right to write this. You're not part of the solution, you are the problem.
We need you posting often and everywhere! You clearly understand what's going on! We also need guys like you to run for office!
F & F
2. The US Gov, no matter who is "in charge" has never given 2 hoots and a holler about the troops they send into harms way. The denied for decades the problems with Agent Orange, Gulf War Syndrome, and numerous other problems experienceÂd by those that fight the wars the politicianÂs are incapable of not starting.
3. Many of these people have experienceÂd multiple deploymentÂs to combat, with very little time to decompress between deploymentÂs. My nieces husband just retired, and in the last 10 years, has been on 6 major combat deploymentÂs. It has been horrible for him, his family, and everyone who loves them all. Yet the governmentÂ, in their infinite wisdom, strips many soldiers of rights when they seek help to cope with the stresses and horror of war. Because of that, there are people who need help that don't seek help, because they don't want to be deprived of a right because of the stresses forced on them by an uncaring governmentÂ.
These men have lived and died with issued firearms, doing the most unthinkable things a person has ever experienced. The government should concentrate on helping all these men and women recover and retain ALL their rights. It's horribly frustrating for the servicemen, and their families, and the government policies harm the public much more than they help veterans.
Actually they have other things in common: Money issues, career issues, relationship issues.
I disagree.
If "A majority of them (suicides) have two things in common, alcohol and a gun" maybe we should track any and all use of alcohol by military personnel? Seems just as relevant...
In the past ten years, Americans have legally bought 110 million firearms. That doesn't sound like a negative trend to me. This article is pure spin and propaganda.
Now this one's a new level of stretch. We should protect soldiers from themselves by banning them from owning things that they could hurt themselves with. In the interests of freedom. And babies and puppies of course.
We don't need soldiers to have access to assault clips, now do we? Why do you hate freedom?
Another eye-roller from Sugarmann, another day.