[commandar]

>A major problem for the military is the availability of guns (and people who are effective at firing them).

I think this is a bit misplaced in the context of the US military.

Firearms are very tightly controlled on bases. The only people with guns at any given time are people that have an active reason for having them, e.g., guard duty, MP, training, etc. It's not like there are M16s just piled up in the barracks. It's one of the reasons the shootings at Ft. Hood were so deadly; despite taking place in the middle of a major military base, there wasn't anyone nearby with a firearm to respond like many people imagine to be the case.

You are correct about availability of firearms in general being associated with suicide rates, but I'm just pointing out that, in the US, military doesn't equate to easier access than the general population.

[Retra]

You do have easier access in the sense that you have _regular_ access to weapons and ammunition. You don't have _on demand_ access, so you can't often make impulsive decisions with firearms. You can, however, make planned decisions fairly easily.

[commandar]

For that to follow, you'd have to show that a significant proportion of the suicides by firearm by stateside service members involved government firearms. I sincerely doubt that's the case.

[Retra]

For what to follow?

[commandar]

The premise that access to duty firearms is a driving factor being logically followed by higher suicide rates among service members.

If the suicides aren't being committed with duty weapons, then there isn't really a logical link there.