fuTuRe sHOcK

The Army has agreed to investigate a disproportionate cluster of suicides among recruiters in an East Texas battalion - news that a local Army widow said she was relieved to hear. Secretary of the Army Pete Geren said the investigation also will focus on allegations from other soldiers and family members that they were pressured to cover up serious problems in the battalion. The investigation was sought by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who heard from soldiers and family members after the Houston Chronicle reported the cluster of suicides earlier this year. Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, complained to Geren in a letter that recruiters and family members felt some battalion leaders were “working to cover up serious problems that evidence a toxic command climate and poor unit morale.” Cornyn told The Associated Press on Friday that he’s concerned about the Houston battalion, but noted “it also has implications militarywide.” More

Tags: army, East Texas battalion, John Cornyn, recruiter suicides