<p>I am wonderng what the statistics of suicides are for most college towns? </p>
<p>While <em>any</em> suicide is one too many, when I learned of these situations, I had to question if the attempt to take one’s own life is just more publicly known at a service academy based on the nature of the cadet accountability and tight-knit community. Such attempts in any other college town could be slid into the surrounding community without much notice and without a direct connection to a particular school. I am not trying to answer any questions or take away from the need for preventative measures, more just wondering out loud. Any thoughts on this? Also, I have not read the Wash. Post article, but had heard about suicides in the past two years from another WP mom. Maybe those deaths were suspicious but not tagged as such? This was contradictory to what I had read somewhere here about none since 1999. That said, I realize this is, as ScreamingEagle pointed out, a part of the bigger picture with our Army. </p>
<p>We have not received letters from the academy itself, however our Parent Association has passed on emails from WP pertaining to counseling and other services available to the cadets. The main message I personally would send to all parents of cadets: Keep those lines of communication open at all times. The one thing I have learned as a Plebe parent this year is that my love and support means more than anything else to a young person who <em>thought</em> they were ready to move off and conquer the world. Some days they are very confident, some days they just need to know that someone cares when they have had a really lousy day, they are re-thinking their commitment, and/or they are ready to call it quits. Above all, I pray for these cadets on a regular basis. They are under so much more pressure than any of their peers. Parents of cadet candidates: support, support, support. Don’t offer advice (I am learning that the hard way) - just listen. Let them pour out their hearts and if you need to, make a trek up there for a weekend just to take them out for a meal off-post (Highland Falls = Walking Privileges!). Knowing you are willing to sacrifice for them communicates that we as parents better understand the sacrifice they are making for their country.</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and posts on this subject.</p>