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The original item was published from 5/29/2008 10:05:59 AM to 6/7/2008 12:00:08 AM.

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Posted on: May 29, 2008

[ARCHIVED] Army Suicides at Two Decade High

By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer
45 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Pentagon officials say there were fewer Army suicides last year than they had feared. But it was still the highest number in almost two decades.

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Two defense officials said Thursday that 108 troops committed suicide in 2007, the most since 1990. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the full report on the deaths wasn't being released until later Thursday.

Preliminary figures released in January showed as many as 121 troops killed themselves, but a number of the deaths were still being investigated then.

Suicides have been rising. The 108 last year followed 102 in 2006 and 85 in 2005.

The increases come despite a host of efforts to improve the mental health of a force stressed by lengthy and repeated deployments to Iraq.

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