hiphopcss.com's Breaking News Report:Army to report record number of suicides, did STRESS and Multiple Tours contribute to Shootings at Ft Hood Texas?

The U.S. Army will report Thursday the highest level of suicides among its soldiers since it began tracking the rate 28 years ago, CNN has learned. Statistics obtained by CNN show that the Army will report 128 confirmed suicides last year and an additional 15 suspected suicides in cases under investigation among active-duty soldiers and activated National Guard and reserves. The confirmed rate of suicides was 20.2 per 100,000. Army officials were reviewing the suspected suicides Wednesday. If any of them are confirmed, the rate will rise. In 2007, the Army reported 115 confirmed suicides, the highest level since 1980, when it began tracking suicides. The Army is expected to announce a new effort to study the problem and determine why its suicide-prevention programs appear not to be working, and the extent to which post-combat stress may be a contributing factor. Many of the suicides occur after troops return home. The Army has long cited personal stress -- including financial, relationship and substance-abuse problems -- as the major reason for suicides, but it is also studying the extent to which deployments to a war zone may play a role. Last month, Army officials said the nation's suicide rate was 19.5 people per 100,000, a 2005 figure considered the most recent. Full Story