AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) -- An Army commander today said the strain of long and repeated deployments was a big factor in the spike in suicides among Army personnel.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli told a U.S. Senate Armed Services subcommittee, quote: "It's a stressed and tired force."
He says some troops remain on 15-month deployments to Iraq that won't end until later this year.
The Army last year had 140 suspected suicides among active-duty troops -- an all-time high.
Chiarelli vowed to tackle the problem by looking for ways to mitigate the stress on soldiers and eliminate the stigma associated with getting mental health help.
He's been receiving a briefing on the circumstances leading up to every suicide.
Top officers from other branches also told lawmakers in Washington that there's a shortage of mental health workers.
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