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More veterans have died by suicide than by combat in wars since 9/11, study says

A new study from Brown University found more veterans have died by suicide than combat in wars since 9/11.

Over 7,000 US soldiers have died in wars, however, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs identified 30,177 active-duty personnel and veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have taken their own lives within nearly 20 years.

Brown suggests the US government and American society are to blame for the high rate of suicide in veterans. The study was released a day after Men’s Health Week which recognizes high rates of mental health and suicide in males.

The report reads, “These high suicide rates are caused by multiple factors, some inherent to fighting in a war and others unique to America’s “war on terror” framework. … In the post-9/11 era, the rise of improvised explosive devices (IED), the attendant rise in traumatic brain injuries (TBI), the war’s protracted length, advances in medical treatment that keep service members in the military longer, and the American public’s disinterest in the post-9/11 wars, have greatly contributed to increased suicide rates.”

ARTICLE: ANTOINETTE AHO

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE

PHOTO CREDITS: NEW YORK TIMES

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Antoinette is a community college student in Sacramento, California. She is a Politics Editor at Fact Based America, a correspondent for Campus Reform, and a student journalist. She previously worked for Turning Point USA as a High School Coordinator.

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