U.S. Troop Morale at New Low

The Pentagon said Thursday that U.S. troops in Afghanistan have reported dangerously low morale, resulting in the highest rates of depression since 2005. The results do not come as a surprise to many military doctors, who say a dramatic increase in fighting has caused 70 to 80 percent of all soldiers to have witnessed the death of a friend. Nearly two thirds of troops said they had seen a roadside bomb go off within 55 yards of them. The military said it has doubled the staff of mental health staff in recent years, meaning there is one mental health-professional for every 646 soldiers. Marines reported the highest levels of stress, with nearly one in five reporting acute psychological problems.