AUSTIN, Texas -- The military has called suicide its greatest enemy, and the Army is on pace to surpass last year's suicide rate among active duty troops.
But a report by an Austin paper shows there may be an even deadlier enemy -- pills. The Austin American Statesman crunched some numbers from the Department of Veterans Affairs and found overdoses from prescription drugs are killing more soldiers than suicide.
Roughly 26-percent of Texas troops killed between the ages of 20 and 34 died of an overdose. That's more than the 21-percent suicide rate within the same group.
Because of that report, U.S. Representative Bill Flores of Waco is calling for hearings with Veterans Affairs to find how they plan to combat this issue. Flores also wants to make sure the numbers are being accurately recorded
To see more on this deadly trend and how the Austin American Statesman got to their numbers,
CLICK HERE.
