The information presented in the May 28 issue of Newsweek in the article “We pretend the vets don’t even exist” gives an excellent reason why the lawsuit to allow women in combat should be defeated, even though that was not the intent of the article.

The facts are that men in the military have a suicide rate that is two times that of civilians. Women in the military, who are not even allowed in combat, have a suicide rate that is three times that of civilians.

To put this in perspective, more vets of Iraq and Afghanistan have committed suicide than have died in combat, and women comprise a disproportionately high percentage of these suicides.

It is hard to predict what women’s suicide rate would be if they were allowed in combat, but I think the fact that it is already higher than the rate of men is enough evidence to keep them out of combat situations.

Samual K. Foster

Vassalboro

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