European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                J David Young i Recd with great interest the articles in the april 24 sunday Magazine concerning suicide. There was a major element of the National suicide statistics for youth that was glaringly absent from the information. In 1989 the department of health and human services commissioned a report on youth suicide. The authors of the report studied National statistics and Case reports from Many sources and concluded that Quot Gay youth Are two to three times More Likely to attempt suicide than other Young people a the statistical profile of the report also stated a Gay males were six times More Likely to make an attempt suicide than heterosexual males a the report researched the 15-24 age group. The report also stated that As High As 30 percent of All the youth suicides committed annually were done by Gay youth i noticed that of the 38 people who committed suicide in the past two years in Europe 17 were 24 years old and younger. Of that group Only three were women. If one assumes that the percentage of Gays in the military is reflective of the percentage of Gays in the general society and in be never seen any research to indicate a statistical difference Between the two populations one May reasonably suspect a High correlation Between the military suicide stalls tics and the statistics from the youth suicide report. Using the probability factors from the youth suicide report of the 17 people who fall into the age bracket Send in your column plus photo of yourself to be our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apo 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37, d-64278 Darmstadt German opening laugh diff to mtr curs rum will no vim g. A a i., r. I jul. 11 of Porges Usa of 15-24 in Europe suicides As Many As six statistically could have committed suicide because they were struggling with their sexual orientation and the stresses placed on them in the military environment. The article sin sunday Magazine indicated that the most common cause of suicide among Young people is depression. The stories showed that leading indicators of serious depression among Young people Are social isolation sense of hopelessness about the future arid thinking people dislike them. According to the youth suicide report a Gay and lesbian youth Are strongly affected by the negative attitudes and hostile responses of society to  in Case studies from across the nation most Young Gays have reported that As they grew up. They Felt like they just did not a fit in with their so Cial environment. Social isolation is a Strong Factor in the lives of Gay youth. Among Aryouth feelings of hopelessness about the future Are the result of negative myths perpetuated by a society with Little understanding of homosexuality. Our society has portrayed an image of Gays As inherently unhappy people for whom the Only appropriate Resolution is suicide. E. Rofes in his Book i thought people like tha t killed 77temse/ves, wrote that a there is nothing inherently Seif destructive in homosexual  i imagine that a Young i could feel very hopeless about a career in the military if he she were found to be Gay. Gay youth feel despised by family friends and institutions such As Church and schools. Thankfully there Are exceptions but these arc not viewed As welcoming environments for most Gay youth. One May also include the military among the list of no welcoming environments for these youth. There would also be a serious damaging effect on a soldiers career should he seek counselling about his sexual orientation. One of the sunday articles stated that in the military system any client counsel or confidentiality evaporates and the professional is required to Alert a commander of someone con Tern plating suicide. Not Only would any Hope for advancement evaporate with the confidentiality but also the individual would face being removed from the military. Unfortunately this is one Case where the individual would most Likely not choose military counselling because the Resolution is predetermined. Or. Col r. Harlan Bridenbaugh said a your responsibility is to keep the patient  i agree completely the department of health and human services report recommends we could help accomplish that goal by dealing with these youth in positive terms Stop stigmatizing them and take Active Steps to help raise the self esteem of Gay youth. If we Are truly determined to help keep them alive its time we got started with this. Are it David Young lives in Frankfurt Germany Sarah Bowles Stacy health care coverage whether directly provided by a military facility or by a private practitioner through Cham pus is a Benefit of employment it is not a a a freebies As the col. James Morse wrote in the feb. 6 sunday Magazine. A in order to attract and retain the Well educated highly trained professionals of today a military a comprehensive benefits package must be offered. Most military members work for salaries that Are considerably lower than those in the private sector for the same work and take the value of benefits into consideration in making re enlistment decisions. Col. Morsels characterization of government encouraging a women to have More babies As a Cannon fodder a through the provision of Basic health care services is beyond belief. The Cost of prenatal care labor and delivery Are minimal in the total a a Bill for raising children and alone could not encourage any thinking person to have More children. Does col. Morse really believe that families in the . Military have so Little reasoning ability that they might have children simply because the government will cover the Hospital charges skyrocketing health care costs make the idea of saving for a planned birth virtually impossible. I experienced an unplanned pregnancy in 1985 just prior to my husbands Basic training. At the time our first child was bom my husband was a private first class with net pay of less than $850 per month. Our champs covered labor and delivery Bills for an emergency caesarean and subsequent hospitalization of Only two Days amounted to More than $12,000. Would it have been possible to financially plan for such a birth or is the colonels Point that Only the wealthy should have children this elitist mentality fails to acknowledge the great diversity of our american culture and the strength that we possess As a nation As a result of our diversity. I shudder to think what would happen to american society should we allow Only those with sufficient wealth the privilege of having and raising children. Sarah Bowles Stacy works at Camp Darby in Italy. Contents from the cover. 4-6 illness from the Gulf. Sidelights a Day will reach to. Clarence Page on Jones is. Clinton. Odds amp ends. 10 miss manners covers rudeness. In tune 11 remembering Brandon Lee. This weeks films 12-13 military circuit listings. Chuck Vinch barely passes Quot Vith  television listings. 14-17 local Cable and satellite schedules. Home entertainment. 18 Selling music on video. Voices. 20 Linda Everbee remembers the Brown Case. Words amp wit. 21 Tony Konheiser shells out for Streisand. ?1vf,ind up in movies. 22-23 Oddte Murphy a top gun again. Books .24-25 searching for Jerry Seinfeld. Annette Funicello s Hearty dream. A a a. A a a a. A. 26 in Parade. 27 Vanessa Williams  laugh Dave Barry notes anti music cures. Sunday is a weekly supplement of the stars and stripes editor Bucky Fox cover Story design Peter Jaeger production Bernard Jensen editorial assistance Louis a Pierce Page 2 sunday. May 22, 1994