Fort Hood assessing soldiers in wake of suicides

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) — The senior commander at Fort Hood says thousands of soldiers stationed at the Texas Army post are receiving extra visits from superiors this week following a recent spate of suspected suicides.

The Army Suicide Prevention Task Force says 14 suicides among soldiers stationed at Fort Hood have been confirmed so far this year. Six more are suspected, including four in the past week.

The Army reported 11 suicides of Fort Hood soldiers in 2009, down from the previous record high of 14 in 2008.

The task force didn’t immediately return calls seeking the number of suicides reported at other Army bases so far this year.

Maj. Gen. William Grimsley says Fort Hood soldiers from the rank of sergeant and below would be visited in their barracks or off-post homes this week to get “a better sense” of how they’re doing.