2- star general’s death a suicide, Army confirms
No reason foundwhy Rossi becomes highest- ranking soldier ever to take own life
The Army acknowledged Friday that Maj. Gen. John Rossi committed suicide July 31, making him the highest- ranking soldier ever to have taken his own life.
Rossi, 55, was two days from pinning on his third star and taking command of Army Space and Missile Command when he killed himself at his home at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. Investigators could find no event that triggered Rossi’s suicide, a U. S. government official with direct knowledge of the investigation said. It appears Rossi was overwhelmed by his responsibilities, said the official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.
Rossi himself talked in March about suicide at a conference on preventing troops from killing themselves. He held up a card from his wallet with photos of 10 soldiers who had died under his command at Fort Sill, Okla. Four had committed suicide.
He told the conference he received reports of four soldiers per week thinking about or attempting suicide. “We are ultimately responsible for soldiers both on and off duty,” Rossi said.
In a statement Friday, Rossi’s family asked for privacy and called on soldiers with emotional problems to seek help.
About 20 veterans a day kill themselves, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, putting them at 21% higher risk compared with civilian adults.