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Q. Did more Vietnam vets kill themselves after the war?A. The suicide rate among Vietnam veterans in the five years after they were discharged was 34.5 per 100,000. For ex-military personnel who served after that war ended, the equivalent number was just 20.1.Epidemiologists for the Department of Veterans Affairs looked at U.S. veterans who'd returned from Iraq or Afghanistan, and found that 21.9 per 100,000 veterans committed suicide—not much higher than the control group in the previous study.United States military veteran suicide - WikipediaOver 100,000 US Vietnam Vet Suicides To Date! (2007) BestThe Myth And Reality Of Vietnam Vet Suicides (1999)How Many Suicides by Vietnam Vets? (1991)Opinion | Why do so many veterans kill themselves? Here are four theories. (2018)Are more veterans killing themselves today than after Vietnam? (2011)Suicide Rate Spikes in Vietnam Vets Who Won't Seek Help (2012)New VA Study finds 20 veterans commit suicide each day (militarytimes.com) (2016)We Lose Too Many Vietnam Veterans to Suicide: Here’s How You Can Help (2017)29 of the Best Politically Incorrect Vietnam War Slang TermsOver 100,000 US Vietnam Vet Suicides To Date!TOTAL COST TO THE UNITED STATES:$925 BillionEdward Tick sources. United States: Disabled American Veterans; The New York Times; Hell, Healing and Resistance by Daniel Hallock; The Vietnam War: A History in Documents, by Young, Fitzgerald & Grunfel; Webster's New World Dictionary of the Vietnam War. Viet Nam: Army Museum, Ha Noi; Hong Ngoc (Rosy Jade) Humanity Center, Sao Do; Research Center for Gender, Family, and Environment in Development, Ha Noi; Women's Museum, Ha Noi; War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City.Five Great Books About the Vietnam War for Middle ReadersThe Myth And Reality Of Vietnam Vet Suicides (1999)September 12, 1999 |By Michael Kelley, Special to the Washington PostSince returning from the Vietnam War, 160,000 veterans have committed suicide. Or so reported one reputable veterans' publication.If true, that's nearly three times as many as died in the war itself.I called the editor and asked, “What was your source?''His reporter found a mention of 150,000 suicides in a 1990 book, he explained to me, “and then added 10,000 to reflect the probable increase between 1990 and 1995.''“Great science there,'' I said. “But what would you say if I told you there is absolutely no scientific evidence to support 150,000, or even as many as 20,000, suicides?''At the time, I thought he and other veterans would be overjoyed to learn that the suicide myth was untrue, and that they would share my relief at finding that we are not, after all, such a twisted, tormented and damaged group that 15 or so of us have taken our own lives every single day for the past 30 years. Since then, I have learned that a substantial number of veterans want to believe the myth. Some veterans and veterans organizations have simply enshrined it as fact, institutionalizing the Vietnam veteran as victim, promoting the idea that after losing 58,000 men in the war we had lost that many again - or two or three times that many - who fell into such desperation after coming home that they killed themselves.What became a protracted and stupefying journey into this fantasy world of wholesale veterans suicides began for me with the realization that what I was hearing and reading did not square with my experience.I thought about the infantry unit I served with for 11 months: Delta Company, 1st Battalion of the 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. About 45 men from that company were killed in action during its four and a half years in Vietnam. If as many vets killed themselves later as died during the war, then 45 of the company's approximately 800 veterans would have committed suicide - or 135, if suicides were three or more times the number of wartime deaths.But in fact, as far as the unit's association can determine, not a single one of those veterans have died by suicide. Struck by the huge discrepancy between the supposed suicide statistics and my knowledge of the veterans community, I went to a local library and spent a few hours thumbing through bibliographies related to veterans' mortality. What I found then and in subsequent research left me reeling.The first surprise was that there already existed a substantial body of scientific literature on the subject. The second surprise was that none of it remotely supported the numbers I saw being published as fact.What on earth brought this plague upon us?The assertion of 58,000 suicides appears to have drawn its first breath in a 1980 manual titled ``Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders of the Vietnam Veteran.'' Published by the Disabled American Veterans, the manual was used widely throughout the Veterans Administration. Its first edition (but none after) noted that ``more Vietnam combat veterans have died since the war by their own hands than were actually killed in the war. That statement was credited to an unpublished paper written in April 1979 by Tom Williams, who also was the editor of the manual. Curiously, his claim came a full eight years before the first comprehensive study of Vietnam veterans' mortality was published.Just where Williams divined his data remains a mystery. (I have made several attempts to find out, but he has never responded to my queries.)From there the suicide story, with numbers ranging up to 200,000, spread to news reports, books, television documentaries and news magazines, and the World Wide Web.Actual mortality studies tell a completely different story.No one knows precisely how many Vietnam veterans have committed suicide. Nor does anyone know how many have died from all causes. We do have information, though, that points to what is possible and what is not.Approximately 3.1 million Americans served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. On average, suicides have accounted for just over 1.1 percent of all U.S. male deaths during the last half of this century. According to research done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the 1980s, suicides were somewhat more elevated for Vietnam veterans than for non-veterans in the same age group during the veterans' first five years after discharge. After five years, though, the differences disappeared.A projection based on the CDC findings shows suicides would represent a shade over 1.2 percent of veterans' deaths from 1967 to 1996. Veterans Administration data indicate that total postwar deaths among Vietnam vets had reached roughly 305,000 by January 1996, so if the percentage suggested by the CDC data is correct, the number of suicides during those 30 years would have been about 3,750.Vietnam War: A Tribute to Our VetsHow Many Suicides by Vietnam Vets? (1991)To the Editor:Although the case Tom Brokaw cites in "Michael Creamer, a Casualty of Two Wars" (Op-Ed, Feb. 18) is tragic, a study of suicides among Vietnam veterans would be in order."Postservice Mortality Among Vietnam Veterans," a Centers for Disease Control study (Journal of the American Medical Association, Feb. 13, 1987, pages 790-95), indicated 1.7 suicides among Vietnam veterans for every one suicide by non-Vietnam veterans for the first five years after discharge. Beyond five years, there were fewer suicides in the Vietnam veterans' group than in the non-Vietnam veterans' group."Proportionate Mortality Study of U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps Veterans of the Vietnam War" by Breslan, Kang, Lee and others (Journal of Occupational Medicine, May 1988, pages 412-19) found that suicides were not higher among Vietnam veterans compared with non-Vietnam veterans.Suicides among Vietnam veterans have been said to be 50,000 to 100,000. At any time during the Vietnam conflict, there were 37 million males aged 18 through 35. Of this group approximately 2.6 million served in Vietnam. Of the entire 37 million male population there have been approximately 152,000 suicides.If 50,000 to 100,000 Vietnam veterans committed suicide, that would mean that between one-third and two-thirds of all the suicides in the 37 million population came from the 2.6 million subgroup. There is no factual evidence to support this assertion.The best estimate of suicide among Vietnam veterans, from the Centers for Disease Control in 1988 Congressional testimony, is 9,000.As a Vietnam veteran who regularly visits veterans' hospitals, I fully understand how war wounds the mind as well as the body. However, the problem of veterans of all wars should be considered without sensationalism, and not to make political points. BERNARD A. HEENEY Bayonne, N.J., Feb. 20, 1991The Poetry of the Vietnam WarOpinion | Why do so many veterans kill themselves? Here are four theories.By Thomas E. Ricks April 4Thomas E. Ricks is the author of five books about the U.S. military. He writes “The Long March” column for Task & Purpose, a veteran-oriented website.Why do so many soldiers continue to take their own lives at a higher rate than their civilian counterparts, whether young or old? I’ve spent a lot of time stewing about this over the past few days.It began Monday morning, when I got a note from a vet in a very dark place and contemplating the act. He’d served in Vietnam. His risk of suicide is about 22 percent higher than that of his non-veteran peers, according to a report last year from the Department of Veterans Affairs.That afternoon, I learned that an Army captain who had been featured a while back in my old “Best Defense” column on the Foreign Policy website had gone out in the middle of the night and sat on railroad tracks near Fort Carson, Colo., and a train ran over him; police are investigating the death. He was still in the military but may have been thinking of leaving. People getting out are at the highest risk in the year after they leave — about 1½ to two times as likely to kill themselves as those still on active duty.A friend of his wrote to me, “He was always a high-performing and intelligent guy. He had deployed to Afghanistan with 10th Mountain, then to Kuwait with 4th ID prior to Atlantic Resolve where it looks like you met him. He was on deck to teach Military Science at West Point. He had a wife and daughter. Nothing about his death makes sense. The only indicator I had that he was unhappy was his deep frustrations with the conventional military, the high op tempo for support roles and exercises, and the impact on his family.”Last month, the commander of the Marine 4th Reconnaissance Battalion was found dead in his home. He also had deployed several times to Iraq and Afghanistan.Also recently, I read that a retired major who had served in military intelligence in Iraq had killed himself and his wife.The suicide rate for veterans has gone up 35 percent since 2001, in part because of increases in post-9/11 veterans killing themselves.I know what I am seeing around me is anecdotal. But it just doesn’t feel right to me. What is going on here?Here are four possibilities, specific to the conditions of our recent war:A lost war: My initial thought was that perhaps people are feeling empty and lost as the Middle Eastern war winds down and we don’t have a lot to show for it, besides Iran being more powerful than ever. But a friend who did several tours in Vietnam said he also knew that feeling but didn’t see any rash of suicides in the ’70s among his former comrades.Death by rotation: Another theory is that everyone is born with just so much to give and that repeated deployments drain that reserve, without replenishment. At some point, a person might just decide they can’t do this anymore, that this is too painful and look for the fastest exit.Brain injury: A third theory, related to the extensive use of roadside bombs in the Middle East, suggests that the human brain can, at best, withstand only one or two nearby explosions and cannot heal the deep damage inflicted by repeated blasts.More to come: Or is it that depressed vets are responding to the whiff of another possible war on the horizon, with North Korea?Whether it is one of these, or a combination, or something else, it worries me deeply.A Vietnam War Reading List, Brought to You by the War HallAre more veterans killing themselves today than after Vietnam? (2011)Have military suicides increased?Writing in Slate last week, economist Joseph E. Stiglitz named the rate of suicides among veterans of recent wars as a "social cost of 9/11." He cited stats from a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs study that looked at the years 2005-07 and found 18 suicides per day among American ex-servicemen. In light of these numbers, and in honor of National Suicide Prevention Week (which began Sunday), the V.A. has posted a toll-free crisis hotline and a link for online chats to its website. Is the suicide rate among veterans any higher now than it has been in the past?It's hard to say because there aren't many reliable data from before the 1960s. But what evidence we have suggests that those who were recently discharged from service in the Vietnam War were more likely to kill themselves than veterans of today's campaigns.A 2004 study by a team led by researchers from the National Center for Environmental Health looked at numbers going back to 1965, and found that the suicide rate among Vietnam veterans in the five years after they were discharged was 34.5 per 100,000. For ex-military personnel who served after that war ended, the equivalent number was just 20.1. A few years later, epidemiologists for the Department of Veterans Affairs looked at U.S. veterans who'd returned from Iraq or Afghanistan, and found that 21.9 per 100,000 veterans committed suicide—not much higher than the control group in the previous study. It's possible that rates will go up in years to come, as more soldiers are discharged after multiple deployments.No one tracked military suicide rates carefully prior to the Vietnam War. Post-traumatic stress disorder wasn't officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association until 1980, when the psychological fallout from an unpopular war was becoming more visible in the mental-health community.There's evidence that suicides are getting more common among soldiers who remain actively involved in the military. According to a recent study by the Rand Corporation, active-duty personnel killed themselves at a rate of 16.3 per 100,000 in 2008, up from 10.3 in 2001. Repeated exposure to combat zones may account for this increase. Some soldiers are sent back three or four times before they're off the hook.Maura Kelly is the author of Much Ado About Loving, about what classic novels can teach you about mating, relating, and Internet dating.What were major Battles of the Vietnam War? - The Vietnam WarSuicide Rate Spikes in Vietnam Vets Who Won't Seek Help (2012)Joe Amon/Denver Post/Getty ImagesVietnam Veteran Harold Evans stands with Martin Omafray at the Wall that Heals at Iron Horse Park at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs June 10, 2011.Every Christmas Rudi Gresham, a former combat soldier in Vietnam, gets a Christmas card from a fellow veteran who was nearly pushed to the brink of suicide because of despair."The guy was in his late 50s and his wife had left him and he came down with cancer from Agent Orange, he was broke and he had to move in with his mom and dad--he didn't know where to go from there," said Gresham, who was then serving as senior advisor to the Department of Veterans Affairs under the George W. Bush administration."Everything had gone to hell," said Gresham. "But I communicated with him."Now 68 and retired in South Carolina, Gresham was able to get the veteran the 10 years of back pay he deserved by authenticating his service with a commanding officer. Today, the man's cancer is under control and he has a new woman in his life.Gresham said getting that thank you card for saving the veteran's life was "the most gratifying moment" in his eight-year career with the VA. "I tell my kids, this is the reward for my work."But three other depressed friends were not so lucky and took their own lives, becoming statistics in a rising tide of suicides among baby boomers, many of them Vietnam War veterans.Just this week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its latest statistics on suicide rates among Americans, finding that the number of middle-aged Americans who took their own lives was up more than 28 percent.Annual suicide rates among U.S. adults aged 35 to 64 increased from 13.7 to 17.6 suicides per 100,000 people between 1999 and 2010.The greatest increases in suicide rates were among people aged 50 to 54 years (48 percent) and 55 to 59 years (49 percent).For the whole population, the national rate was 12.4 per 100,000 in that decade, according to the CDC. The most common mechanisms were suffocation or hanging, poisoning and firearms. Increases were seen among both men and women.The CDC cites the recent economic downturn, a "cohort effect" among baby boomers who had unusually high suicide rates during their adolescent years, and a rise in intentional overdoses because of increased availability of prescription opioids.But suicide rates among Vietnam veterans are the highest of any particular group, according to John Draper, project director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.Eight million Americans report suicidal thoughts, and 1.1 million will attempt suicide. An estimated 38,000 will succeed in killing themselves, according to the CDC. Most are male, by a four to one margin, and are single and lack a college education.The suicide rate jumped higher for women (32 percent) than for men (27 percent)."Men tend to be more lonely and have a harder time maintaining and replacing relationships than women, especially when they get into middle age," said Draper. "Men are busy working or tie their relationships to work and when they lose their job, they lose their relationships."Those who are less stable in their personal lives are also less stable in the workforce, he said."I don't have all the answers," said Draper. "But we know about suicide prevention and people who are more socially connected and have a sense of belief and self-worth and are valued at work and in their relationships are way more protected and generally happier people."Post-traumatic stress disorder and associated mental health problems are to blame for many of the suicides among war veterans, according to Draper."The most important thing to remember is we can do something to stop this," said Draper, who, like Gresham, said that communication and support from others can help to prevent suicide.Since 2001, more than two million service members have been deployed to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost for treating veterans of all eras and conflicts is estimated at $48 billion, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.PTSD was not even recognized until after the Vietnam War, according to Gresham, who recognized at the onset of his government career in 2000 the importance of increasing the VA budget after predicting the staggering number of cases that were to follow. "I knew mental problems would exceed the physical," he said."I feel sorry for the younger soldiers," he said. "They are now married, got a wife and kids and suddenly come back and they can't find a job. These things all compound."As for the Vietnam veterans, they found less support in the 1960s and 1970s, when they returned from combat service. "The older veterans don't trust the government and they don't go for help," said Gresham.Unlike World War II soldiers who were hailed as heroes, these servicemen returned to "feel a bit outcast and rejected," according to Gresham, who sits on the Vietnam Veterans Foundation.Many of that generation refused to acknowledge they had PTSD and are suffering the consequences later in life. "Believe me, we have a real problem," he said."These guys were the first generation not to trust the guys in the white coats, and they didn't trust the government," said Gresham. "A lot of the Viet vets with PTSD held it in."They didn't want to let their family know their dark secret. They wanted to be in the workforce and be productive like the generation of World War II, but they were not respected by society."The VA in the 1970s was not responsive to the needs of these veterans, he said. "I've seen what has happened to a lot of these older vets."At a town meeting in Los Angeles several years ago, Gresham said he told a group of Vietnam vets. "You know Hollywood was correct when they did the movie the 'Fourth of July' with Tom Cruise. The VA did a lousy job of taking care of vets."But today, according to Gresham, "The VA has made "tremendous efforts to spend lots of money on [PTSD]," he said.In 2007, the VA partnered with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to create a dedicated line manned by veterans on the National Suicide Lifeline.The so-called Veterans Crisis Line has fielded more than 250,000 calls a year from veterans and active members of the military, according to Lifeline director Draper."It's a brilliant idea and it's saved taxpayers money and saved lives," he said.Draper said it is too early to see the impact of this collaboration but predicts that CDC suicide numbers will eventually drop, at least among veterans.Gresham, who was involved in the creation of the hotline, is also hopeful. "It's so much better for veterans to get help from other veterans," he said. "There is a strong bond.""If you have suicide thoughts and there's another veteran on the line, you trust your brother, whether it's a man or a woman," he said. "If they have been in combat, there is someone who understands you.""They didn't trust the VA for a long time and now the VA has its arms open," said Gresham. "They do very good work now. They understand the problem."In 1971 speech, John Kerry spoke of the monster created by the Vietnam WarNew VA Study finds 20 veterans commit suicide each day (militarytimes.com) (2016)Pedestrians walk in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington, Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)Roughly 20 veterans a day commit suicide nationwide, according to new data from the Department of Veterans Affairs — a figure that dispels the often quoted, but problematic, "22 a day" estimate yet solidifies the disturbing mental health crisis the number implied.In 2014, the latest year available, more than 7,400 veterans took their own lives, accounting for 18 percent of all suicides in America. Veterans make up less than 9 percent of the U.S. population.About 70 percent of veterans who took their own lives were not regular users of VA services.The new data, being released publicly today, is the most comprehensive suicide study ever conducted by the department.For years, the department has estimated the veterans suicide toll nationwide at around 22 individuals a day, but veterans groups noted numerous gaps in how that estimate was constructed. Most notably, the numbers were based on information from only about 20 states and did not contain full military records from the Defense Department.The new study includes more than 50 million veterans’ records from 1979 to 2014, including every state. The data, compiled over the last four years, also comes from the Centers for Disease Control.VA officials said in a statement that the information will allow them to "inform our suicide prevention programs and policies, especially for groups at elevated risk for suicide, including older and female veterans."Together, the numbers point to a significant mental health risk for individuals who served in the military, though the specific reasons remain unclear.Researchers found that the risk of suicide for veterans is 21 percent higher when compared to civilian adults. From 2001 to 2014, as the civilian suicide rate rose about 23.3 percent, the rate of suicide among veterans jumped more than 32 percent.The problem is particularly worrisome among female veterans, who saw their suicide rates rise more than 85 percent over that time, compared to about 40 percent for civilian women.And roughly 65 percent of all veteran suicides in 2014 were for individuals 50 years or older, many of whom spent little or no time-fighting in the most recent wars.Providing support and assistance to suicidal veterans has proven difficult, in part because of the lack of data on the scope of the problem.In recent years, VA has hired 5,300 mental health providers and support personnel and upgraded its Veterans Crisis Line in response to the problem. It has also elevated the profile of its suicide prevention office within the department and launched new partnerships with community health providers to offer counseling to veterans.Officials hope to use the data to further expand those offerings, targeting specific regions and populations within the veterans community to more effectively deliver care.Veterans groups hailed the new research as a critical step ahead in addressing the problem."Of course, this is still 20 [deaths] too many," said Joe Chenelly, executive director at AMVETS. "But we are grateful for the deeper, more accurate data analysis. Much still needs to be done, and this gives us a better idea where to focus."Full year-by-year and demographic breakdowns of the data are expected to be released by the department by the end of July.Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at [email protected] Kime covers military and veterans health care and medicine for Military Times. She can be reached at [email protected] the Vietnam War, 42 Years After US Troops WithdrewPSYCHOLOGY BENEFITS SOCIETYWe Lose Too Many Vietnam Veterans to Suicide: Here’s How You Can Help (2017)By Meg Lacy (Doctoral Student, Palo Alto University)As our Vietnam veteran population ages, many may become increasingly vulnerable for death by suicide. Despite the fact that the Vietnam war occurred approximately 40 years ago, the moral injuries sustained are still felt by many who served our country. It is not unusual for Vietnam Veterans to have coped with difficult times by staying busy at home or at work. As retirement looms, it is not unusual for Vietnam era veterans to experience additional age-related risks such as social isolation, a feeling of burdensomeness, and changes in health status.These changes can coalesce to hamper coping strategies that previously worked to manage mental distress, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. Alcohol and substance use increases the risk of suicide as the abuse of substances, particularly alcohol, is strongly associated with both suicide attempts and deaths. So what should friends and family watch out for and what could be done in response to warning signs?Warning signs:In general, individuals most at risk of suicide are white older adult males who have health issues. As risk factors associated with veteran status converge on risk factors associated with later life, there are a few specific things friends and family should be aware of.What’s going on in their life?A major change in routine including retirement or loss of a jobThe death of a spouseA new medical diagnosisA break-up, separation or divorceNot having a stable place to liveInadequate family incomeHow are they behaving?Increase in drinking or drug useSleeping considerably more or lessA loss of interest in things they typically enjoySocial withdrawalImpulsivity – engaging in risky behavior (running red lights, driving recklessly, looking like they have a “death wish”)Becoming aggressive- examples of this are punching holes in walls, seeking revenge, getting into fightsAnxiety- worrying excessively about things they cannot controlAgitation and mood swingsPutting affairs in order such as giving away prized possessions or making out a willSeeking out firearms access to pillsNeglecting personal welfare including deteriorating physical appearance or hygieneWhat are they saying?A sense of hopelessness: “I have no purpose”, “I have no value”, “Nothing is ever going to get better”Rage or anger: expressed toward people or thingsExpressed feelings of excessive guilt, shame or failure: “My family would be better off without me”Feelings of desperation: “There is no solution”, “I just feel trapped”What do they have access to?Familiarity and access to a firearm make suicide by firearm more likely. Any means by which a suicide can be attempted, including pills, is something that should be asked about. Veterans are more likely to own a gun and are comfortable using one making death by firearm a common means of suicide among this population.How can you help?Social support is one of the most effective protective factors against suicide (Cummings et al., 2015). However, many veterans have isolated themselves and their friends and family struggle to talk to them. Inviting them to an event, writing them a letter or participating in a shared activity (building something, fishing, walking, etc.) are great ways to get things started.Talk about it. Suicide is an uncomfortable topic but its best to be direct. Ask overtly if they are planning on killing themselves or have had thoughts about killing themselves. Just because they say no doesn’t mean that they don’t still have suicidal intentions so be sure to have additional information to provide such as a suicide hotline number for veterans, apps they could utilize (PTSD Coach), or a therapist’s contact information.If your loved one has a plan or tells you they are going to kill themselves, call 911. It's better to put their safety first. Demonstrating your support by seeking additional help is always best. If you can, include them in the process of seeking immediate help. Calling 911 or visiting the ER does not have to be a one-sided decision.These by no means are the only risk factors, signs or solutions for suicidality. However, engagement with friends and family has shown to be extremely effective against suicide. Demonstrating your support with regular calls or visits is an important step toward safety for many veterans.Related Resources:Veterans Crisis LineAPA Psychology Topic: SuicideResources for Caregivers of Service Members and VeteransWhen Will We Face the Facts about Suicide in Older Men?References:Chronic PTSD in Vietnam combat veterans: Course of illness and substance abuse (1996). American Journal of Psychiatry, 153(3), 369–375. doi:10.1176/ajp.153.3.369Conner, K. R., Britton, P. C., Sworts, L. M., & Joiner, T. E. (2007). Suicide attempts among individuals with opiate dependence: The critical role of belonging. Addictive Behaviors, 32(7), 1395–1404. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2006.09.012Conwell, Y., Van Orden, K., & Caine, E. D. (2011). Suicide in older adults. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 34(2),. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3107573/Cummins, N., Scherer, S., Krajewski, J., Schnieder, S., Epps, J., & Quatieri, T. F. (2015). A review of depression and suicide risk assessment using speech analysis. Speech Communication, 71, 10–49. doi:10.1016/j.specom.2015.03.004Identifying signs of crisis. Retrieved February 26, 2017, from https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/SignsOfCrisis/Identifying.aspxLambert, M. T., & Fowler, R. D. (1997). Suicide risk factors among veterans: Risk management in the changing culture of the department of veterans affairs. The Journal of Mental Health Administration, 24(3), 350–358. doi:10.1007/bf02832668Lester, D. (2003). Unemployment and suicidal behaviour. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 57(8), 558–559. doi:10.1136/jech.57.8.558Military Suicide Research Consortium (MSRC) Newsroom. (2017, January 28). Retrieved February 26, 2017, from https://msrc.fsu.edu/news/study-reveals-top-reason-behind-soldiers-suicidesNademin, E., Jobes, D. A., Pflanz, S. E., Jacoby, A. M., Ghahramanlou-Holloway, M., Campise, R., Johnson, L. (2008). An investigation of interpersonal-psychological variables in air force suicides: A controlled comparison study. Archives of Suicide Research, 12(4), 309–326. doi:10.1080/13811110802324847Price, J. L. (2016, February 23). Findings from the national Vietnam veterans’ readjustment study. Retrieved February 26, 2017, from http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/research-bio/research/vietnam-vets-study.aspUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs. (July 2016) VA Suicide Prevention Program: Facts about Veteran Suicide. Retrieved from https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/Suicide_Prevention_FactSheet_New_VA_Stats_070616_1400.pdfVan Orden, K. A., Witte, T. K., Gordon, K. H., Bender, T. W., & Joiner, T. E. (2008). Suicidal desire and the capability for suicide: Tests of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior among adults. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76(1), 72–83. doi:10.1037/0022-006x.76.1.72Van Orden, K. A., Witte, T. K., Cukrowicz, K. C., Braithwaite, S. R., Selby, E. A., & Joiner Jr, E. (2010). The interpersonal theory of suicide. Psychological Review, 117(2), 575.Warning signs of crisis. Retrieved February 26, 2017, from https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/SignsOfCrisis/Biography:Meg Lacy is a first-year doctoral student at Palo Alto University. She is interested in researching early intervention to trauma in combat soldiers and amongst first responders. Additionally, she is interested in the veteran population and suicide prevention.Image source: Flickr user Elvert Barnes via Creative CommonsStoned in Combat: Weed Smokers in the Vietnam War

If he keeps going lights out at this rate for the remainder of his career, then yes he’s the best of the four major sports because football is the hardest of them all (think we can put aside soccer). You can’t be a great athlete if you’re not a champion. Everyone always wants to quantify, to put a name on the best athlete they’ve seen, to compare athletes with inexhaustible passion, which is the greatest athlete to play his sport but there’s only one hardest position to play in sports: the quarterback position. The quarterback position is the most pivotal determining position in football, it’s the hardest to teach, it’s the hardest to deal with, it’s the most exposed to pressure, it’s the most appraised, it’s the hardest position to play in team sports. Tom Brady has mastered it like no player has before — his overpowering competitiveness in contrast to his stunning unselfishness, while others love the idea of flamboyant contracts, Tom Brady recognizes the importance of putting his ego behind the team, he is the ultimate coach’s player. Football is the most brutal sport on the planet, it drives us all crazy, emotions run high but in the toughest moments Tom Brady knows how to sublimate himself. “Great players perform under pressure” he once said. No player knows how he’ll perform on a critical 4th and long to save a drive in the remaining minutes of the Super Bowl until he gets there and Tom Brady has shown time and time again he does.Brady is coming off a monster MVP campaign at the age 40. Versus top #10 scoring defenses last year, Tom Brady went 5–0, completed 69.7% of his passes for 323.4 passing yards per game, 9 touchdowns, just 1 interception, and posted a 109.7 passer rating. He finished the regular season with a jaw-breaking 32 TDs-8 INTs, left the NFL voters sputtering how he could deliver another brilliant season of football while cross-conference Drew Brees struggled with a confluence of pro bowl offensive linemen, running backs and wide receivers in his offense’s arsenal, posting just 23 TDs-16 INTs. Brady didn’t stop his effort there, in the playoffs, he was a force, registering 8 TDs-0 INTs. Overall, in Tom Brady’s 19 career playoff games against Defenses that were top 10 in DVOA, he’s 15–4, an NFL best.So many arguments can be made in his favor, the sport’s brutality, on average a career lasts just 6 years; and yet, not once in his career, has Tom Brady ever gave the impression of bottoming out. Perhaps his five Super Bowls, his four Pete Rozelle Awards as Super Bowl MVP (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XLIX and LI) and is the first player in Super Bowl history to earn four MVP awards, one more than Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana (3) all in spite never playing with an all pro left tackle or running back. Perhaps his overlooked late draft status, this tall skinny player out of Michigan, who wasn’t even a starter on his high-school football team at Sierra High until his sophomore season who dropped all the way down to the sixth-round, as a #199th compensatory pick. Those who went ahead of him are Chad Pennington (18th), Giovanni Carmazzi (65th), Chris Redman (75th), Tee Martin (163rd), Marc Bulger (183rd) and Spergon Wynn (183rd); neither have started in a Super Bowl. Perhaps also because he is the only player to follow up a Super Bowl MVP with a regular season MVP at age 40 by playing through a whole season (Barry Bonds being the other 40 year old to win the MVP but didn’t play the whole season). Brady tops all the other athletes in the American major sports after being named MVP at 40 years old and six months with 40 votes, the oldest winner in history for all four sports combined. Oldest MVP winner in the NBA ? 35 years old !More stupefying are some of his records:Brady’s regular season touchdown-to-interception ratio (3.00) ranks second in NFL history among all players with 2,000 or more passing attempts.Won an NFL-record 31 consecutive home games from 2006-11. Has amassed eight 50-point games in his career, most in NFL history.Stands with 196 regular season wins, an NFL record — with all those wins, it should come as no surprise that including playoffs, Brady has beaten every NFL team at least once, and he has beaten 30 of the other 31 franchises multiple times. The only team he hasn’t beaten twice? The Cardinals, against whom he is 1-1. On the flip side, there are several teams that Brady has never lost to. Those teams are the Jaguars (8-0), Falcons (6-0), Bears (4-0), Cowboys (4-0), Vikings (4-0) and Buccaneers (4-0).Brady has thrown 18 touchdown passes in the Super Bowl. There have been 45 quarterbacks drafted in the first round since Brady was drafted in 2000. They’ve combined for 15 Super Bowl touchdown passes.Even though they lost the Super Bowl that year, the 2007 Patriots are the only team to finish the regular season with a 16-0 record.His technique is textbook, his toughness legendary (25 hits in the 2015 AFC championship game), his football IQ unparalleled in the game. Brady’s preeminence over his career never flinched and superlatives change after every season as he consistently keeps defying odds and conventional wisdom. Brady embarked in 2001 on a furious mission to stream past the doubters and casual observers wrong that a quarterback drafted this late was just what you expect from a late draft pick. The odds were small, the level of talent around him minimal compared to a Richard Gannon who enjoyed the escort of playmakers Tim Brown and Jerry Rice as well as the protection from pro bowl linemen Lincoln Kennedy and Barret Robbins when he was in Oakland. But he shut off all doubters who criticized him for his athletic shortcomings by becoming the first ever quarterback in NFL history to start and win three Super Bowls before his 28th birthday, having quarterbacked the Patriots to victories in Super Bowl XXXVI when he was 24 years old, Super Bowl XXXVIII (26) and Super Bowl XXXIX (27). 10 straight playoff wins, an NFL record to start a career in the pros. Even after celebrating a dynasty still the only one in the salary cap, he never took all the credit for himself —“You could make a thousand good decisions, and you make one bad decision and that's the only thing people will remember." To benefit the team in the long term, he scheduled for smaller extensions than he could make, helping the Patriots to manage the talent they could, keep Belichick’s philosophy of loading the defense and let Tom Brady deal with different personnel every year. It worked well, Brady has had the top defense in the NFL two times in his career ( 2003 and 2016), a top five defense four other times (2004 2006, 2007, and 2009) and top ten defense six other times. This infuriated many Colts fans for years, who saw Manning with the top defense only once in his career (2007 a disastrous ending), while so much money was put on the offense and his hefty contracts — Colts fans were very displeased with the quarterback’s individualist approach “ Hey Manning, why don’t you take a paycut ?A what ?A paycut !!A what ?? Who’s calling me ?A PAYCUT !!!!”So are Saints fans seeing Drew Brees has never played with a top defense in his career — “Drew, take a paycut !”What is it ?? What do you mean ?You know what I mean team’s in cap hell take a paycut !Who’s calling me ? Mom ??”Brady won 76 of his first 100 regular season starts, tying Roger Staubach’s mark for most victories by a quarterback in his first 100 starts during the Super Bowl Era (since 1966).Still, the quarterback prodigy was deemed lesser than his true degree level and had to fight for recognition the whole journey, being snubbed out of an MVP in 2002 despite leading the league in touchdowns and of the 2003 pro bowl. His records now seem unreachable, his durability superhuman, his aptitudes continuously show on-going improvement. Yet, the genesis of this gridiron icon looked as human as anyone else.The Comeback kid from San Mateo grew up a die-hard 49er fan. But he wasn’t enrolled in football yet, his main sport in his early days was baseball. He was the catcher for his team who talked trash during games. His performance interested closely the Montreal Expos in the midst of the 1995 MLB draft. He was a star in the making. But though his baseball skills were well documented and he might’ve had a locked future in the majors, Brady decided to trust his passion for football and play for Michigan. He left his hometown with this quote printed on his yearbook “If you want to play with the big boys, you gotta learn how to play in the tall grass”. There, the slender green-eyed young man shadowed out baseball for the rest of his life and trained every off-season with the pro gurus at San Mateo College. He battled with two-way stud Drew Henson at Michigan, a fantasized projected superstar who convinced dozens of scouts and analysts. At the 2000 Orange Bowl game, he led Michigan in a 35-34 overtime win against Alabama at Pro Player Stadium in Miami — it was the first overtime game in the history of the Orange Bowl. For some reason, the attention was monopolized by stellar running back Shaun Alexander who rushed for a big game 163 yards on the grounds and scored 3 TDs, completely overlooking Brady who threw for 369 yards and 4 touchdowns and set Orange Bowl passing records for attempts (46), completions (34) and yards (369). He also tied the single-game record for touchdowns.At the draft, he flew under the radar of incompetent head coaches and managers, who didn’t even watch his film at Michigan and a complete scouting report. Picked-up by the Patriots with great value, his own vulnerabilities listed on his scouting report boxed-out. Tom Brady exploded on the national stage for the first time against Atlanta in 2001 for a 3 touchdown performance, 250 yards through the air and a fat 124 passer rating. The rest, is well known to everyone. The New England Patriots have as many Super Bowl wins as the rest of the AFC since 2001. Kurt Warner completed 4 full-seasons in his career, Tom Brady’s only missed 1. His heroic career puts him on the paramount of his sport, well ahead above anyone else. His total number of post-season passing touchdowns are more than Aaron Rodgers’ and Kurt Warner’s combined. While cross-conference players like Aaron Rodgers and Carson Wentz struggle to say healthy and failed-prodigy Andrew Luck is dipping more and more into an injury prone cratered bust, Tom Brady has not missed a start to an injury in 10 years. He has as many post-season wins than Peyton Manning features post-season starts. He’s scored more points in his Super Bowl appearances than both Joe Montana and Peyton Manning combined. His career post-season passing yards is higher than both John Elway and Ben Roethlisberger combined. More playoff wins than Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach combined. Holds all-time postseason records by a quarterback for multi-TD passing games and 300-yard passing games. Brady led a game-winning drive to break a tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter of each of the Patriots’ five Super Bowl victories, becoming the only quarterback in NFL history to lead five such game-winning drives in the Super Bowl.His post-season numbers themselves are a better than regular quarterbacks’ NFL careers.But more impressively, is the cadency he tumbles against any threshold of a possible imminent retirement. Never has a 40 year old looked so astonishingly strong, a combination of a force of nature and wizened regime. Brady’s supremacy in football could break well beyond the borders of his sport if he strikes a pair of diamond Super Bowl rings again. Now that he lives alone without any antagonists on his way, he is the singular protagonist of his field. Currently with five world championships in which he was at every time the best player for his team, both Hakeem Olajuwon and Lebron James drafted #1 overall don’t even have more championship rings than Tom Brady. Keeping in mind James deliberately tampered with opposing teams to make it easier for himself and Olajuwon benefited from Jordan’s retirement. Kobe Bryant, not more rings than Tom Brady. This is a NFL player in the modern cap era we’re talking about. Wayne Gretzky, #1 overall pick, one championship ring less than Tom Brady. Derek Jeter, not more rings than Tom Brady. This is absolutely exceptional for a NFL quarterback in a hard cap league. The current starting quarterbacks in the NFL: Rodgers, Newton, Ryan, Wilson, Luck, Tannehill, Mariota, Bortles, Watson, Cousins, Stafford, Trebisky, Goff, Roethlisberger, Flacco, Dalton, Garoppolo, Brees, Winston, Manning, Wentz, Smith, Prescott; all have 3 rings minimum to 5 fewer than Tom Brady. All of them, were drafted in rounds ahead of him. His feats are the celebration of the overlooked player against the overhyped train of #1 picked players. Brady’s 488career passing touchdowns are by far the most by a quarterback taken #199th or later in the NFL draft. No other quarterback drafted that late has thrown 200 career touchdown passes. The closest is Steve DeBerg (196), who was taken 275th by the Cowboys in the 1977 NFL Draft.For the football aficionado there is an aspect of the Brady legacy that is most arresting: he’s the only player to have started the 8 Super Bowls Patriots have represented the AFC since 2001. It speaks to the longevity of course but it means Tom Brady is really the corner stone of the Patriots’ franchise. Never has a player belittled so many first round picked quarterbacks who in the past lived sustained famous championship runs occurring in the non-salary cap era, except now. Never has a #199th pick put so much pressure on relatively pedestrian first-rounders who’s jobs are unchallenged by lazy front offices. Never has a #199th pick showed the critical importance of perfect mechanics. Never has a player forced us to gauge the entire quarterback position based on what Tom Brady does at the level he plays and the true value of the players around him. Never has a player demonstrated in an era of free-agent roster convulsions and incomprehensible contracts, the illustration of a true team player. The Patriots have never suffered a losing season with Brady under center a full season. He set a cosmic distance that separates himself with everyone else who played his position and non-position in the history of pro football. A cerebral QB who knows every player’s every defensive coach’s tendencies, too good against the blitz, too quick at reading exotic defensive fronts, so easy when he checks at the line to switch off a play, his passes are released between 65 and 75mph, angular velocity that hits 2,800° C/SEC per release, generates 800 LBF on QB sneaks which still today defenses have not been able to neutralize.He capitalized further than anyone could dream. He will be the 21st century’s best athlete. There will never be, another Tom Brady.

C-130 HerculesThe C-130 Hercules primarily performs the intratheater portion of the airlift mission. The aircraft is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for paradropping troops and equipment into hostile areas. Basic and specialized versions perform a diversity of roles, including airlift support, DEW Line and Arctic ice resupply, aeromedical missions, aerial spray missions, fire-fighting duties for the US Forest Service, and natural disaster relief missions. In recent years, they have been used to bring humanitarian relief to many countries, including Haiti, Bosnia, Somalia, and Rwanda.Four decades have elapsed since the Air Force issued its original design specification, yet the remarkable C-130 remains in production. The turbo-prop, high-wing, versatile "Herc" has accumulated over 20 million flight hours. It is the preferred transport aircraft for many US Government services and over 60 foreign countries. The basic airframe has been modified to hundreds of different configurations to meet an ever-changing environment and mission requirement. The C-130 Hercules has unsurpassed versatility, performance, and mission effectiveness. Early C-130A, B, and D versions are now retired.C-130Missions& VariantsMissionsSpecialized VariantTactical AirliftAllAerial TankerKC-130B, KC-130F, KC-13H, HC-130H(N), HC-130N, HC-130P, KC-130R, KC-130TCommand & ControlEC-130E (ABCCC), EC-130G, & EC-130QMaritime PatrolC-130H-NP/PC-130HSpecial OperationsMC-130E & MC-130HSearch & RescueSC-130B/HC-130B, HC-130E, HA-130H, HC-130H(N), HC-130N, & HC-130PHumanitarian ReliefAllStaff/VIP TransportVC-130B & VC-130HReconnaissanceRC-130BAirborne HospitalC-130E (AEH)Arctic & Anarctic SupportC-130BL/LC-130F, C-130D, LC-130H, & LC-130RDrone ControlGC-130A/DC-130A, DC-130E, & DC-130HElectronic WarfareEC-130E (CL), EC-130E (RR), EC-130HSpace & Missile OperationsJC-130A, JC-130B, & NC-130HTest & EvaluationNC-13A, NC-130B, JC-130E, NC-130E, JC-130H, & RC-130SWeather ReconnaissanceWC-130B, WC-130E, WC-130HGunshipAC-130A, AC-130E, AC-130H, & AC-130UThe initial production model was the C-130A, with four Allison T56-A-11 or -9 turboprops. Conceptual studies of the C-130A, were initiated in 1951. The first prototype flight took place in 1954 and the first production flight followed on April 7, 1955. A total of 219 were ordered and the C-130A joined the U.S. Air Force inventory in December 1956. Two DC-130A's (originally GC-130A's) were built as drone launchers/directors, carrying up to four drones on underwing pylons. All special equipment was removable, permitting the aircraft to be used as freighters, assault transports, or ambulances.The C-130B introduced Allison T56-A-7 turboprops and the first of 134 entered Air Force service in April-June 1959. The B model carries additional fuel in the wings, and has upgraded engines and strengthened landing gear. C-130B's are used in aerial fire fighting missions by Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units. Six C-130B's were modified in 1961 for snatch recovery of classified U.S. Air Force satellites by the 6593rd Test Squadron at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.Several A models, redesignated C-130D, were modified with wheel-ski landing gear for service in the Arctic and for resupply missions to units along the Distant Early Warning line. The two main skis are 20 feet long, six feet wide, and weigh about 2,000 pounds each. The nose ski is 10 feet long and six feet wide. The D model also has increased fuel capacity and provision for jet -assisted takeoff. The D models were flown by the Air National Guard and were recently replaced with C-130H models.C-130E is an extended-range development of the C-130B, with two underwing fuel tanks and increased range and endurance capabilities. A total of 369 were ordered for MAC (now AMC) and TAC (now ACC), with deliveries beginning in April 1962. A wing modification to correct fatigue and corrosion on USAF�s force of C-130Es has extended the life of the aircraft well into the next century. Ongoing modifications include a Self-Contained Navigation System (SCNS) to enhance navigation capabilities, especially in low-level environments. The SCNS incorporates an integrated communications/ navigation management system that features the USAF standard laser gyro inertial navigational unit and the 1553B data bus; installation began in 1990. Other modifications include enhanced station-keeping equipment, 50 kHz VHF Omnirange/lnstrument Landing System (VOR/ILS) receivers, secure voice capability, and GPS capability. Another major modification installs a state-of-the-art autopilot that incorporates a Ground Collision Avoidance System. Military Airlift Command is the primary user, with more than 200 E models. The Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard also fly the E model.Similar to the E model, the C-130H has updated T56-A-T5 turboprops, a redesigned outer wing, updated avionics, and other minor improvements. The C-130E/H carries 6,700 gallons of fuel in six integral wing tanks. Under each wing of the C-130E/H is an external pylon fuel tank with a capacity of 1,300 gallons. A pressure refueling point is in the aft side wheel well fairing for ground refueling. As a response to the role played by the tactical airlift fleet in Operation Just Cause and in the Persian Gulf War, Congress approved the procurement of more C-130H's to replace the aging E models. Delivery began in July 1974 [other sources state April 1975]. More than 350 C-130Hs and derivatives were ordered for active and reserve units of the US services, including eight funded in FY 1996. Production of the H has now ended. Units in Military Airlift Command, the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are equipped with this model. The Night Vision Instrumentation System was introduced from 1993; TCAS II in new aircraft from 1994. ANG and AFRC C-130Hs are used in fire-fighting missions. Specifically modified aircraft are used by the 757th AS, AFRC, based at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport ARS, Ohio, for aerial spraying, typically to suppress mosquito-spread epidemics. Seven LC-130Hs, modified with wheel-ski gear, are operated by ANG�s 109th AW in support of Arctic and Antarctic operations.While continuing to upgrade through modification, the Air Force has budgeted to resume fleet modernization through acquisition of the C-130J version. Compared to older C-130s, the C-130J climbs faster and higher, flies farther at a higher cruise speed, and takes off and lands in a shorter distance. This new model features a two-crew-member flight system, 6,000 skip Allison AE 21 00D3 engines and all-composite Dowty R391 propellers, digital avionics and mission computers, enhanced performance, and improved reliability and maintainability. Beginning in FY 1996, the Air Force started procuring C-130Js as replacements for the older C-130Es and Hs. Priority for replacement will be combat delivery aircraft. C-130J will ensure total force structure numbers are maintained, while reducing costs of ownership. The current program procures 12 C-130Js, i.e., two per year from FY96 to FY01. This program could be expanded in FY02 to procure 12 C-130Js a year to replace the active duty and ARC C-130Es which are nearing the end of their useable service life.The WC-130E/H is used in weather reconnaissance and aerial sampling. The plane is modified to penetrate hurricanes and typhoons to collect meteorological data that make advanced warnings of such storms possible. Weather reconnaissance equipment gathers information on movement, intensity and size of storms; outside air temperature; humidity; dewpoint; and barometric pressure. WC-130s are assigned to active and Reserve units at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.The HC-130 is an extended-range, combat rescue version of the C-130 transport aircraft. Capable of independent employment in the no-to-low threat environment. Its primary mission is to provide air refueling for rescue helicopters. The HC-130 can perform extended searches in a permissive environment and has the capability to airdrop pararescuemen and survival equipment to isolated survivors when a delay in the arrival of a recovery vehicle is anticipated. Flights to air refueling areas or drop zones are accomplished at tactical low altitude to avoid threats. NVG-assisted, low-altitude air refueling and other operations in a low-threat environment are performed by specially trained crews. The crew can perform airborne mission commander (AMC) duties in a no-to-low threat environment when threat conditions permit. The maximum speed is 290 knots (at high altitude), with a low-altitude cruise speed of 210 to 250 knots. Range, depending upon internal fuel tank configuration, is 3,000 to 4,500NM (no wind).The C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (C-130X AMP) will modify approximately 525 aircraft to establish a common, supportable, cost effective baseline configuration for AMC, ACC, ANG, AFRC, PACAF, USAFE and AFSOC C-130 aircraft. The contractor will design, develop, integrate, test, fabricate and install a new avionics suite for approximately thirteen variants of C-130 Combat Delivery and Special Mission models. The installation schedule requires a throughput of between 65 and 85 aircraft per year through 2010. The acquisition strategy is currently in development. The C-130 AMP is being worked jointly by Warner-Robins ALC (GA) and Aero Systems Center (OH) (virtual SPO) with the Development System Manager located at ASC.C-130JThe C-130J incorporates state-of-the-art technology that significantly improves performance and reduces ownership costs. Lockheed Martin projections show the C-130J/J-30 will lower cost of ownership as much as 45% depending on the scenario used. Early model C-130s require more than 20 maintenance manhours per flight hour (MMH/FH). The C-130J/J-30 will require 10 or less MMH/FH. The C-130J/J-30 integrated digital technology provides the capability to airdrop in instrument conditions without zone markers, as a baseline feature of the aircraft. When the high resolution ground mapping capability of the APN-241 Low Power Color Radar is coupled with the dual INS/GPS and digital mapping systems, the C-130J/J-30 provides single-ship or formation all weather aerial delivery. This means the entire J/J-30 fleet will be all weather airdrop capable. C-130Js will be delivered as weather (WC), electronic combat (EC), and tanker (KC) configured aircraft.The United States Marine Corps has chosen the KC-130J tanker to replace its aging KC-130F tanker fleet. The new KC-130J offers increased utility and much needed improvement in mission performance. As a force multiplier, the J tanker is capable of refueling both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft as well as conducting rapid ground refueling. The refueling speed envelope has been widened from 100 to 270 knots indicated airspeed, offering more capability and flexibility. Offload rates per refueling pod can be up to 300 gallons / 2,040 lbs (1,135 liters / 925 kg) per minute simultaneously. The J tanker's offload is significantly greater than previous Herc tankers. As an example, at 1,000 nautical miles, the fuel offload is well over 45,000 lbs. Rapid ground refueling is also a premium capability. In austere conditions/scenarios, the KC-130J can refuel helicopters, vehicles, and fuel caches at 600 gallons / 4,080 lbs (2,270 liters / 1,850 kg) per minute. Additionally, the unique prop feathering capability while the engines are still running ("HOTEL Mode") offers safer and more hospitable conditions for ground refueling than in the past.The WC-130J Hercules is a special weather reconnaissance version of the new Lockheed Martin C-130J cargo plane. Its mission is to fly into the eye of hurricanes to retrieve critical information about active storms. The Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base, MS, a component of the 403rd Wing, is the only unit in the Department of Defense that flies this mission.The standard C-130J has essentially the same dimensions as the C-130E/H but the J-30 (stretched version) is 15 feet longer. The J-30 incorporates two extension plugs, one forward and one aft. The foward plug is 100 inches long while the rear plug is 80 inches for a total of 180 inches or 15 feet. With its 3,000 nautical mile range, increased speed, and air refueling capability, it complements the C-5/C-17 airlift team. The J-30 can work in the strategic, as well as tactical or intratheater, environment. The J-30 can be an effective force multiplier in executing the US Army Strategic Brigade Airdrop (SBA). The J-30 can airdrop 100% of the SBA requirement. No longer is it necessary to expend scarce heavy lift resources on strategic contingency requirements. Whether it's a channel, special airlift, training, or contingency airdrop mission, the J-30 can handle it all at a significantly reduced cost.For the first time in the 40-plus year history of the popular Hercules transport, the US Air Force and Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems signed a commercial practices contract for the sale of C-130Js. Awarded on 06 November 1996, the basic contract includes an initial order for two aircraft, associated data, and spares, funded in fiscal year 1996. The contract also contains five years of options through the year 2000 for additional aircraft, interim contractor support, data, training, and support. By late 1996 Aeronautical Systems had completed assembly of the first "production" C-130J (Serial # 5440), one of 12 ordered by the Royal Australian Air Force.Design FeaturesIn its personnel carrier role, the C-130 can accommodate 92 combat troops or 64 fully equipped paratroops on side-facing seats. For medical evacuations, it carries 74 litter patients and two medical attendants. Paratroopers exit the aircraft through two doors on either side of the aircraft behind the landing-gear fairings. Another exit is off the rear ramp for airdrops.The C-130 can deliver personnel, equipment or supplies either by landing or by various aerial delivery modes. Three primary methods of aerial delivery are used for equipment.In the first, parachutes pull the load, weighing up to 42,000 pounds, from the aircraft. When the load is clear of the plane, cargo parachutes inflate and lower the load to the ground.The second method, called the Container Delivery System, uses the force of gravity to pull from one to 16 bundles of supplies from the aircraft. When the bundles, weighing up to 2,200 pounds each, are out of the aircraft, parachutes inflate and lower them to the ground.The Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System is the third aerial delivery method. With LAPES, up to 38,000 pounds of cargo is pulled from the aircraft by large, inflated cargo parachutes while the aircraft is five to 10 feet above the ground. The load then slides to a stop within a very short distance. Efforts are underway to increase the maximum load weights for LAPES aerial delivery to 42,000 pounds.The C-130's design maximum gross weight is 155,000 pounds (175,000 pounds wartime) with a normal landing weight of 130,000 pounds. The operating weight is approximately 80,000 pounds. The airplane is capable of airlifting 92 ground troops, 64 fully equipped paratroopers, or 74 litter patients. It can also carry 45,000 pounds of cargo.FUSELAGE: The fuselage is a semimonocoque design and divided into a flight station and a cargo compartment. Seating is provided for each flight station. The cargo compartment is approximately 41 feet long, 9 feet high, and 10 feet wide. Loading is from the rear of the fuselage. Both the flight station and the cargo compartment can be pressurized to maintain a cabin pressure-altitude of 5000 feet at an aircraft altitude of 28,000 feet.WINGS: The full cantilever wing contains four integral main fuel tanks and two bladder-type auxiliary tanks. Two external tanks are mounted under the wings. This gives the C-l 30 a total usable fuel capacity of approximately 9680 U.S. gallons.EMPENNAGE: A horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, elevator, rudder, trim tabs, and a tail cone make up the empennage. This section consists of an all-metal full cantilever semimonocoque structure. It is bolted to the aft fuselage section.POWER PLANT: (prior to theC-130J) Four Allison turboprop engines are attached to the wings. The engine nacelles have cowl panels and access doors forward of a vertical firewall. Clam-shell doors are located aft of the vertical firewall. Air enters the engine through a scoop assembly at the front of the nacelle.PROPELLERS: (prior to theC-130J) Four Hamiliton Standard electro-hydromatic, constant-speed, full feathering, reversible-pitch propellers are installed on each engine.LANDING GEAR AND BRAKES: The modified tricycle-type landing gear consists of dual nose gear wheels and tandem mains. Main gear retraction is vertically, into fuselage fairings, and the nose gear folds forward into the fuselage. Power steering is incorporated into the nose gear. The landing gear design permits aircraft operation from rough, unimproved runways. The brakes are hydraulically operated, multiple-disc type. The braking system incorporates differential braking and parking brake control. A modulating anti-skid system is provided.AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU) (C-130H): The APU supplies air during ground operation for engine starting and air conditioning. One 40 KVA AC generator is mounted on the APU as an additional AC power source. Emergency electrical power during flight is also available up to 20,000 feet.GAS TURBINE COMPRESSOR (GTC) AND AIR TURBINE MOTOR (ATM) (C-130E): C-13OE model aircraft have a GTC which supplies bleed air for engine start, air conditioning, and operation of an ATM. The ATM powers a 20 KVA electrical generator to supply auxiliary electrical power on the ground only.OIL: The C-130 has four independent oil systems with a 12 gallon capacity for each engine. Oil is serviced through a filler neck located on the upper right engine cowling.FUEL: The fuel system consists of a modified manifold-flow type incorporating fuel crossfeed, single point refueling (SPR) and defueling, and fuel dumping. Latest USAF versions incorporate blue foam for fire suppression.ELECTRICAL: AC electrical power for the C-130H model is provided by five 40 KVA generators, 4 driven by the engines and one driven by the APU. On the E model, the power is supplied by four 40 KVA engine-driven generators, and a 20 KVA generator driven by the ATM. DC power is provided from AC sources through four 200 ampere transfomer rectifiers and one 24 volt, 36 ampere-hour battery.HYDRAULIC: Four engine-driven pumps supply 3000 psi pressure to the utility and booster systems. An electric AC motor-driven pump supplies pressure to the auxiliary system and is backed up by a handpump. The hydraulic system maintains constant pressure during zero or negative "g" maneuvers.AIR CONDITIONING AND PRESSURIZATION: Two independent air conditioning systems for the flight deck and cargo compartment are operated from engine bleed air in flight and by the GTC/APU on the ground.OXYGEN: Both models have a 25 liter liquid oxygen (LOX) type system which provides for 96 man-hours of oxygen at 25,000 feet. It uses diluter-demand automatic pressure-breathing regulators. Portable units are also provided. System pressure is maintained at 300 psi.FLIGHT CONTROLS: The primary flight control system consists of conventional aileron, elevator, and rudder systems. Hydraulic power boost is incorporated in each system.WING FLAPS: The wing flaps are high-lift, Lockheed-Fowler type and are of conventional design and construction. Normal operation is by hydraulic motor. Emergency operation is by manual crank.ANTI-ICING: Engine bleed air is used for anti-icing the wing and empennage leading edges, the radome, (radome anti-icing may be removed in some models, check with aircraft forms) and engine inlet air ducts. Electrical heat provides anti-icing for the propellers, windshield, and pitot tubes.AIRCRAFT DIMENSIONS:Wing Span:Length:Height:Horizontal Stabilizer:132 feet 7 inches97 feet 9 inches38 feet 5 inches52 feet 8 inchesTypical C-130 Cargo Dimensions:ModelFirst DeliveryLast DeliveryC-130A1956Nov 1959C-130B1959Mar 1963C-130E1962Mar 1974C-130H1964In ProductionC-130H219781992C-130H319921997C-130J1996In ProductionL-1001964Dec 1968L-100-201968Mar 1981L-100-301970In ProductionC-130H-3019801997Service LifeAlthough service life computations are not used to determine grounding or airframe restrictions, the Air Force does use service life estimates as a planning tool to anticipate when major aircraft structural events can be expected. A key issue is the structural service life of the C-130 airframes, which depends on mission severity, fatigue, and corrosion factors.A severity factor accounts for the difference between normal civilian flying and military flying (low level, shortfield landings, etc.). Mission profile determines the severity factor, which is averaged over the aircraft's most recent two year history. This translates airframe clock hours into equivalent airframe damage hours which indicate the higher aging rate of the military airframes. On average, Active C-130 aircraft fly approximately 600 hours per year, while ARC C-130E and C-130H aircraft fly about 375 hours and 450 hours per year, respectively.Currently, the critical fatigue component for the C-130 fleet is the center wing box, which is structurally more susceptible to the stresses of mission profile and payload. The center wing box has a limit of 60,000 relative baseline hours (flight hours multiplied by the mission severity factor).) A corrosion limit of 40,000 flight hours is based on historical data and engineering judgment. It considers corrosion factors not considered in airframe fatigue analysis. Actual airframe service life depends on which limit, fatigue or corrosion, is reached first.The average age of the active duty C-130 fleet is over 25 years old, while the average age of Guard and Reserve C-130s is 15 years old. The average age of the C-130E model is over 28 years and average flying time is approximately 19,800 hours; the newest E-model being produced in 1972. Based on projected operations tempo and overall mission severity, C-130E aircraft have an average remaining service life of 15 years. Material solutions such as selective repair, a service life extension program (SLEP), or procurement of new aircraft are several ways to influence and resolve aging of the C-130 fleet.The service-life of the HC-130N/P is based upon the aircraft�s wing box and operations tempo. Based on the current operations tempo, the fleet will begin to lose airworthiness in 2013.SpecificationsPrimary FunctionIntratheater airlift.ContractorLockheed Aeronautical Systems Company.Power PlantFour Allison T56-A-15 turboprops; 4,300 horsepower, each engine.Length97 feet, 9 inches (29.3 meters).Height38 feet, 3 inches (11.4 meters).Wingspan132 feet, 7 inches (39.7 meters).Speed374 mph (Mach 0.57) at 20,000 feet (6,060 meters).Ceiling33,000 feet (10,000 meters) with 100,000 pounds (45,000 kilograms) payload.Maximum Takeoff Weight155,000 pounds (69,750 kilograms).Operating Weight:83,000 PoundsMaximum Useable Fuel:60,000 PoundsMaximum Allowable Cabin Load:36,000 PoundsNormal Passenger Seats Available:Up to 92 troops or 64 paratroops or 74 litter patients.Maximum Number of Pallets:5Range2,356 miles (2,049 nautical miles) with maximum payload;2,500 miles (2,174 nautical miles) with 25,000 pounds (11,250 kilograms) cargo;5,200 miles (4,522 nautical miles) with no cargo.Unit Cost$22.9 million (1992 dollars).CrewFive (two pilots, a navigator, flight engineer and loadmaster); up to 92 troops or 64 paratroops or 74 litter patients or five standard freight pallets.Minimum Crew ComplementFour(two pilots, one flight engineer, and one loadmaster)Allows for a 16 hour crew duty day (12 hour for airdrop crews) (from show at the aircraft to parking at the final destination).Crew Complement[airdrop missions]Sixcrews will normally carry one navigator as well and an extra loadmaster in addition to the minimum crew complement.Augmented Crew ComplementNine(three pilots, two navigators, two flight engineers, and two loadmasters)Allows for a 18 hour crew duty day (from show at the aircraft to parking at the final destination)Date DeployedApril 1955.InventoryActive force, 98; ANG, 20 Bs, 60 E's and 93 H's; Reserve, 606.The most significant issue for the C-130 entails the reassignment of CONUS-based active duty C-130s from USACOM to USTRANSCOM. As the single manage for DoD transportation, the consolidation of these air mobility assets under USTRANSCOM lends further credence to USTRANSCOM�s single manager charter. Furthermore, as the Air Force component of USTRANSCOM, AMC now exercises both service authority (i.e., train, organize, equip, and provide) and operational control over these forces. This arrangement eliminates confusion and yields more effective and efficient service to the air mobility customer. (Theater CINCs will continue to exercise combatant command and operational control of overseas-assigned C-130 forces.)