Four Canadian military suicides in past week, 3 had served in Afghanistan-BBC

.
12/4/13, "Canada rocked by rash of soldier suicides in one week," BBC

"The Canadian military is soul searching after the suicides of up to four soldiers in just a week. Defence officials told media that three of as many as four Canadian Forces members who took their own lives in recent days had served in Afghanistan....

The incidents have raised questions over post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The latest death, of a married 46-year-old soldier whose body was found on Monday near his base in Quebec, is being treated as an apparent suicide. Sylvain Lelievre had served in Bosnia and Afghanistan.

In the past week, the bodies of Warrant Officer Michael McNeil, Master Cpl William Elliott and Master Bombardier Travis Halmrast have also been discovered.

The men were based in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta respectively. It is not known if the soldiers suffered from PTSD, but mental illness has not been ruled out as a cause.

Col Rakesh Jetly, a military psychiatrist, told the Globe and Mail he expects the number of soldiers dealing with PTSD to rise in coming years as they return from Afghanistan."...