Military suicides rise 15% as senior leaders call for action
3 years, 2 months ago

Military suicides rise 15% as senior leaders call for action

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The number of U.S. military suicides jumped by 15% last year, fueled by significant increases in the Army and Marine Corps that senior leaders called troubling. “While there is no clear understanding of what is causing the increase in suicides, we realize we have to do better in preventing suicide and ensure resources are available and readily accessible,” said Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and Gen. James C. McConville, Army chief of staff, in a statement. Defense officials told Pentagon reporters Thursday that the rate of suicides per 100,000 service members did not increase by a “statistically significant” amount, saying it was within the margin of error. Army Maj. Gen. Clement Coward, acting executive director for the Force Resiliency office, said the department did not see a “statistical change in suicide rates” to indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact.

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History of this topic

The number of military suicides dipped in 2022 as the Pentagon steps up prevention
1 year, 1 month ago

The number of military suicides dipped in 2022 as the Pentagon steps up prevention

LA Times  

The Pentagon has been trying to build prevention and treatment programs to address military suicides. The number of suicides among U.S. military members and their families dipped slightly in 2022, compared with the previous year, as the Defense Department tries to build prevention and treatment programs to address what has been a steadily growing problem over the last decade, the …

Military suicides drop as leaders push new programs
2 years, 2 months ago

Military suicides drop as leaders push new programs

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Suicides across the active duty U.S. military decreased over the past 18 months, driven by sharp drops in the Air Force and Marine Corps last year and a similar decline among Army soldiers during the first six months of this year, according to a new Pentagon report and preliminary data for 2022. The Army saw a similar 30% …

Suicides in the military decreased by 15% in 2021, Pentagon report finds
2 years, 2 months ago

Suicides in the military decreased by 15% in 2021, Pentagon report finds

CBS News  

Suicides among active-duty service members decreased over 15% from 2020 to 2021, according to the Pentagon's annual report on suicides in the military released today. The 2021 suicide rate for active-duty service members in 2021 was 24.3 per 100,000 which is down from 28.7 in 2020. Service members who died by suicide in 2021 were mostly young enlisted men, which …

As suicides rise, US military seeks to address mental health
2 years, 2 months ago

As suicides rise, US military seeks to address mental health

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Dionne Williamson felt emotionally numb. Something’s wrong.’” As the Pentagon seeks to confront spiraling suicide rates in the military ranks, Williamson’s experiences shine a light on the realities for service members seeking mental health help. The study detailed stress factors particular to military life: “high exposure to trauma — mental, …

Spiraling military suicide rates force Pentagon to address mental health
2 years, 2 months ago

Spiraling military suicide rates force Pentagon to address mental health

LA Times  

After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Dionne Williamson felt emotionally numb. Something’s wrong.’” As the Pentagon seeks to confront spiraling suicide rates in the military’s ranks, Williamson’s experiences shine a light on the realities for service members seeking mental health help. In March, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III announced the creation of an independent committee to review …

Over 800 cases of suicide in the Armed Forces: Why our soldiers are so stressed
2 years, 5 months ago

Over 800 cases of suicide in the Armed Forces: Why our soldiers are so stressed

Firstpost  

Long duty hours coupled with a lack of adequate sleep and rest, the attitude of senior leadership and long deployment in conflict areas are to blame for high stress levels in the armed forces The Centre has said 819 armed forces personnel died by suicide over the last five years, with the Indian Army accounting for 642 such cases alone. …

345 Suicides in 3 Years: Why Are Our Armed Forces So Stressed?
2 years, 7 months ago

345 Suicides in 3 Years: Why Are Our Armed Forces So Stressed?

The Quint  

The lackadaisical handling of incidents like the one in which the brave Assistant Commandant Vibhor of elite COBRA of CRPF lost both his legs in an IED blast on 25 February further leave the troops with a sense of apprehension and add to their stress levels. The increasing disconnect between senior leaders and cutting-edge operational leadership affects the morale down …

Suicide rate fell during first lockdown, new data shows
3 years, 3 months ago

Suicide rate fell during first lockdown, new data shows

The Independent  

The suicide rate in England and Wales fell during the first national Covid-19 lockdown, new data from the Office for National Statistics shows. Although around three quarters of the suicides recorded during the first national lockdown were among men, there was actually a drop in the male suicide rate falling to 13.9 deaths per 100,000 men compared with 16.9 per …

US suicides dropped last year, defying pandemic expectations
3 years, 8 months ago

US suicides dropped last year, defying pandemic expectations

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The number of U.S. suicides fell nearly 6% last year amid the coronavirus pandemic — the largest annual decline in at least four decades, according to preliminary government data. “There’s a heroism phase in every disaster period, where we’re banding together and expressing lots of messages of support that we’re in this together,” said Dr. Christine Moutier, …

US suicide rate fell last year after decade of steady rise
4 years, 2 months ago

US suicide rate fell last year after decade of steady rise

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The U.S. suicide rate fell slightly last year, the first annual decline in more than a decade, according to new government data. It’s a small decrease and the data is preliminary, but the decline is “really exciting,” said Dr. Christine Moutier, chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. When all that is factored together, …

Opinion: The desperate ‘pandemic’ among US veterans
4 years, 3 months ago

Opinion: The desperate ‘pandemic’ among US veterans

CNN  

Editor’s Note: David Shulkin, MD, was the ninth secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs under President Donald Trump. David Shulkin Courtesy David Shulkin A recent report revealed that, as of 2017, the US loses about 20 veterans and former National Guard and Reserve members each day to suicide. One study says that with increased social isolation and higher …

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