Soldier suicides reach worrying numbers
The number of Greece’s soldiers who have committed suicide in the last 10 years could staff two army platoons, according to research conducted by Skai Television. Since 1998, 75 military personnel have taken their own lives, according to the research. In 58 cases, the suicide victims were privates, while the remainder of incidents related to officers. Increased demands on soldiers along with officers giving them a hard time are the reasons behind the deaths, Nikos Argyriou, a representative from the Solidarity Committee for Conscripts told Skai. The latest victim came on Sunday from the island of Kos, where a 24-year-old conscript shot himself while on guard duty. Argyriou added that the number of suicides in the wider armed forces is higher as there are also incidents of staff in the navy and airforce ending their own lives.
