Military suicides are on the rise, but the military is seeing a decline after the recent increase

Handguns are involved in about three out of four suicide deaths in the military. Delaying access to a gun by keeping it in a safe for an hour or securing drugs can significantly reduce the risk of suicide.

WASHINGTON — The military has seen fewer suicides in recent months, a trend reversal has long plagued the military.

A report released Thursday by the Pentagon found that suicide rates rose across the military last year before starting to decline this year in the Army, the military’s largest branch.

The military recorded the most suicides last year: 279, an increase of 25 compared to the previous year. The Marine Corps recorded 71 suicides, the Navy recorded 78, the Air Force recorded 93 and the Space Force recorded two suicides.

Military officials said in an interview with USA TODAY that the numbers improved in 2024 thanks to an emphasis on the safe storage of weapons and drugs, and a renewed effort to limit stress in soldiers’ lives.

“We’ve seen some preliminary numbers that are much improved for this year,” said Army Col. Kevin Goke, a top official working on suicide prevention.

The Army counted 23 fewer suicides among active-duty soldiers through October compared to the same period in 2023, said Randy Lane, an Army expert on suicide data. Suicide totals for the military are below the five- and 10-year averages, he said.

The number of suicides in the military continues to increase

The Pentagon recorded 523 suicides within the military last year, compared to 493 in 2022, according to the newly released report.

Timothy Hoyt, deputy director of the Office of Force Resiliency, told reporters that the increase reflects national trends in suicide, “amplified by short-term military-specific risk factors.”

Most military suicides involve firearms, Hoyt said. In response, the Pentagon has launched initiatives to promote a safer culture, including “encouraging safe storage of firearms,” especially in barracks and dormitories, Hoyt said.

Handguns are involved in about three in four suicide deaths in the military, Goke said. That figure has prompted commanders to emphasize safety. Delaying access to a gun by keeping it in a safe or securing drugs for an hour can significantly reduce the risk of suicide, he said.

“If they’re trying to do something like unlock a gun safe, it’s very tactical, very logical in nature, and it can actually take them out of that subjective space of despair and give them that time and space” to reconsider. suicidal ideation, Goke said.

The suicide rate among active-duty troops was higher than among active-duty troops: In 2023, 363 active-duty members died by suicide, a 12% increase from the previous year, continuing the upward trend of the past twelve years continued. In the military reserves and National Guard, “that trend line is a little flatter,” Hoyt said.

More than 60% of active members who died by suicide last year were young men under the age of 30, a fraction consistent with recent years. Less than half – 42% – had a behavioral diagnosis.

About half of suicide deaths among soldiers occur without warning signs that can be picked up by commanders, fellow soldiers or family members, Goke said. Reducing stress for soldiers can keep them from becoming overwhelmed.

As an example, Goke mentioned childcare, which has different possible solutions depending on the location. On a base in rural Louisiana, such as Fort Johnson, one problem may be the lack of childcare available in that rural area. In Tacoma, Washington, at Joint Base Lewis McChord, the cost of child care in a bustling urban area can be the problem. For each problem, the military will have to find different solutions, he said.

“It’s something that’s not directly related to suicide, but it’s still a stressor in someone’s life,” he said. Stress can build up and have tragic consequences.

Other military initiatives to address the increase include improving access to mental health care and reducing stigma and barriers for service members seeking care.

“We are doubling down on our revisions to suicide prevention training,” Hoyt said.

When asked why these programs failed to stem the recent surge, Hoyt cited “insufficient investment” and the inability to accurately track which programs were successful over the past two decades.

The military has struggled in recent years with the increasing number of suicides among soldiers. A Pentagon study published earlier this year found that U.S. soldiers were more likely to die by suicide than in combat between 2014 and 2019.

The The suicide rate in the US per 100,000 people increased by more than 35% between 2000 and 2018. It fell slightly over the next two years before rising again in 2021.