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Army leader visits Drum to talk suicides

FORT DRUM, N.Y. — The Army’s vice chief of staff is visiting Fort Drum on Tuesday as part of a fact-finding tour looking for ways to reduce an increasing rate of soldier suicides.

Gen. Peter Chiarelli is hearing from soldiers and their families at the northern New York Army post to learn what the Army should be doing, and how Army leaders can ease the stress on the all-volunteer force.

Chiarelli toured Fort Campbell, Ky., and Fort Bragg, N.C., last week.

The Army had 140 suspected suicides among active duty troops during 2008, an all-time high. There were another 42 suspected suicides through the first two months of 2009.

A post spokeswoman says Fort Drum had only one reported suicide last year.