Canadian soldier dies in non-combat incident in Afghanistan

The position of the Canadian flag said it all.

In fact, it spoke louder than anything Brig.-Gen. Dean Milner could have said about the death of Bombardier Karl Manning, who became the 156th Canadian to die as part of the mission to Afghanistan.

The flag was at full staff when Brig.-Gen. Milner announced the death early Saturday.

Bombardier Manning, 31, died in what the military describes as a “non-hostile” “non-accident” incident, which is code for he likely took his own life.

The flag did come to half staff after Brig.-Gen. Milner's statement, in contrast to other times when it's been lowered the moment the headquarters learned of a death.

Whether it was a deliberate or inadvertent gesture, it said much about how the military's “go get'em” culture struggles to deal with suicide.

Bombardier Manning, a native of Chicoutimi, Que., was an artillery soldier and radar operator, who spent the better part of a nearly completed tour at a remote base amid the desolate hard scrub villages of western Panjwaii.

It is a stark, hostile place that for years had been a Taliban sanctuary — until the Canadian battle group, led by the 1st Battalion Royal 22e Regiment, pushed into the area last December.

Bombardier Manning's body was discovered by fellow soldiers at the outpost in the Zangabad area on Friday.

“While an investigation is still ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding his death, foul play and enemy action have been ruled out,” said Brig.-Gen. Milner.

If ruled a suicide, Bombardier Manning would become the fourth soldier involved in the Afghan mission to have died by their own hand overseas.

The most high profile case involved Maj. Michelle Mendes, an intelligence officer who'd only been in theatre a short time when she was found dead in her room on April 25, 2009.

Her suicide put the military's career and mental health systems under close scrutiny with questions about how such an up and coming young officer could have suddenly decided to take her own life.

Another officer assigned to NATO headquarters in Kabul committed suicide. A corporal with a military police detachment at Camp Mirage in Dubai was another case.

The death of Bombardier Manning is the second of the year, and the first for the Canadian mission in Afghanistan since March 27. That's when Cpl. Yannick Scherrer was killed by an improvised explosive device southwest of Kandahar city.

Brig.-Gen. Milner described Bombardier Manning's death as a great loss and offered his condolences to the man's family, friends and comrades.

“His professionalism and dedication were admired by all,” he said in a brief statement before leaving without taking questions.

News of the death shook soldiers at the outpost and many of them gathered in an assembly on Friday to hear the news from senior officers.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered condolences to Bombardier Manning's family and friends. “Canada stands behind you in these most trying times.”

“Bombardier Karl Manning will be missed by the Canadian Armed Forces family, his community and Canadians everywhere,” Harper said in a statement issued by his office in Ottawa. “We will remember his dedication and sacrifice alongside all of those who have lost their lives in the defence of our country.”

Gov. Gen. David Johnston also sent condolences to Bombardier Manning's family and friends for their “unimaginable loss.”

“But even as we mourn, we know that we will stand united and build a better life for the Afghani people,” Mr. Johnston said in a statement.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay said “Manning's hard work and dedication will not be forgotten.”

Representatives of the Canadian Forces Health Services branch in Kandahar did not comment Saturday on the latest death.

The military has instituted a myriad of new mental health programs since the army first started seeing major combat in Kandahar, including the establishment of operational stress injury clinics at major bases across the country.

There is a recently overhauled suicide prevention program, which the medical branch has gone out of its way to highlight.

A recently completed study of suicides concluded the Forces could do more to reduce workplace and career stress.

The most recent figures from the military's health group show 16 uniformed members — men and women — took their lives in 2009, almost double the number reported in 2006 at the beginning of the current Canadian deployment in Kandahar.

But military doctors do not look at the number, but rather the overall rate of suicide, which is averaged over a number of years. That figure suggested suicide in the ranks has remained steady.

Men are overwhelmingly more likely to commit suicide in the Forces than women.

Between 2005 and 2009, 50 men in uniform took their own life. Five women committed suicide during the same time frame.

Military members are screened for suicidal thoughts as part of regular fitness reviews and following overseas deployments, but the study questioned the usefulness of some screening questions.

Experts wondered whether it was possible to get an honest answer when asking someone directly whether they'd had thoughts of taking their own life.

The report suggested military doctors pay closer attention to depression, which is sometimes a precursor to a suicide attempt.

Source

Commentary by the Ottawa Mens Centre

With condolences to the family and his comrades, we have yet to hear any of the real story surrounding this what will prove to be an avoidable death.

The Canadian and the US military have failed miserably to have appropriate pre-screening check lists that will accurately predict the odds of depression etc.

Canadians need to be aware that more men in Canada kill themselves because they cannot see their own children than those who are killed in motor car accidents.

The greatest single cause of Male suicide is our Family Courts who operate a War Against Men, a policy of Male Sharia Law, Male Apartheid.

The War Against Men exists because society promotes hatred towards men, especially towards fathers.

Society is able to do this because of the Complete Absence of a Legal Presumption of Equal Parenting.

If the Conservatives wish to reduce the number of Male Suicides then they should think of Canadian Children who have NO legal presumption of equal parenting.

Spare a thought for the 50% of Canadian children who grow up without a father because of Canada's War On Men.


www.OttawaMensCentre.com