Suicide is once again on the rise within the military ranks, according to a recently released Department of Defense quarterly report.
The report was prepared by the Defense Suicide Prevention Office and recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic may play a role in the rising numbers of service members who have died by suicide across all branches and components.
In 2020, there were 377 active-duty soldiers who died by suicide, 194 reservists and 118 members of the National Guard. These numbers denote a stark uptick, as in 2019 there were 348 active-duty suicides, 155 reservists and 90 National Guard members, and reveal an overall rising trend throughout the decade.
"The Department of Defense is fully committed to preventing suicides in our military community – every death by suicide is a tragedy," the report states. In regard to the impact of COVID-19, DOD says "We are closely monitoring potential impacts and taking proactive steps to mitigate those potential impacts. During this time, we remain dedicated in our efforts to educate the force, support the force, and emphasize social connectedness."
The rising rate of active duty, reserve and National Guard suicides coincides with the rise of suicide among veterans as Connecting Vets has previously reported. More than 6,000 veterans die by suicide each year, and the number is steadily rising according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
For more information on potential warning signs of suicide, click here.
If you or someone you know needs help, contact the Veteran Crisis Line 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255 (select option 1 for a VA staff member). Veterans, service members or their families also can text 838255 or go to veteranscrisisline.net.