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thedrifter
02-21-06, 07:17 AM
February 20, 2006
Suicide suspected in New River Marine’s death
By John Hoellwarth
Times staff writer

A helicopter mechanic assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit was found dead of an apparent suicide by hanging in his barracks room at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., Feb. 15, according to a Marine Corps release.

The 19-year-old Marine was a member of the MEU’s aviation combat element, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365, said MEU spokesman Capt. David Nevers.

Spokesmen for the MEU, the air station and Camp Lejeune, N.C., each said they had no information about how the Marine’s death was discovered.

Bryan Driver, spokesman for the casualty branch of Marine Corps headquarters said that between two and four Marines commit suicide each month Corps wide.

He said the Marine Corps has historically had the highest per capita suicide rate among the U.S. military service branches, but that the Corps’ 2005 rate of 12.7 suicides per 100,000 Marines is still below the civilian population rate.

Ellie