Suicides among enlisted soldiers are on the rise

According to the Department of Defense Annual report on suicide in the military, which outlines suicide trends among service members and their families, 523 service members died by suicide in 2023. This horrific statistic marks the highest number of deaths in 2020.

The report, released Nov. 14, recorded 1,373 active-duty military men and women who attempted suicide in 2023.

Since 2005, suicide rates for veterans have increased by 50% and a staggering 150% for veterans of post-9/11 warsa trend Robert Greenway, director of the Allison Center for National Security at the Heritage Foundation and a combat veteran of the Army’s Special Forces, called an “unprecedented crisis in the force” in congressional testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.

The Department of Veterans Affairs recently published the latest Annual suicide prevention reportrevealing that the average number of veteran suicides per day has increased from 16.4 in 2001 to 17.5 in 2021. Although the Department of Defense began tracking the data just over a decade ago, these numbers support a steady trend and increase in military-related suicides. in the last two decades.

Unfortunately, self-inflicted deaths are only one part of a larger mental health crisis. VA estimates that 41% of veterans need some level of mental health care, but of the 18.1 million U.S. veterans, only 11% of them obtained VA mental health services.

The mental health crisis has been stepped up as service members deployed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan come out of the military, many lacking adequate mental health resources to guide the transition to civilian life. An estimated 30,000 veterans of the War on Terror have tragically died by suicide, a staggering statistic that totals more than four times the number of deaths caused by war violence in post-9/11 conflicts.

When asked about coping with civilian life after two deployments to active combat roles, Shane Hudson, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, explained, “The misnomer is that people think that it’s simple to overcome or move on… I don’t fully believe you ever will. You just learn to cope… Some days are really good; some days are not so good.”

Certain VA failures exacerbate the mismatch between those who need and receive mental health care. In a nonpartisan effort to address concerns, Rep. Marilyn Strickland, Rep. Mike Waltz and eleven other members of Congress addressed VA Secretary Denis McDonough about deficiencies within the VA, particularly significant cancellations of mental health appointments, such as and unreliable communication between providers and patients. “Delayed access to therapy and support exacerbates existing conditions, reduces the effectiveness of treatment, and contributes to suicide,” the members of Congress said.

Beyond the human cost, the VA’s dismal record on mental health hampers tough recruiting efforts. Family ties are a major avenue of military recruitment. Twenty-five percent of service members reported that at least one of their parents served before them. However, as the military fails to address certain institutional issues, such as the ongoing mental health crisis, recruitment efforts are slipping. Military families they are now just 32 percent likely to recommend the forces to a son or daughter, down from 55 percent in 2016. According to a different study, 57 percent of young Americans worried that serving would harm their mental well-being.

Current measures in place to alleviate military and veteran mental health concerns include the Independent Review Board for Suicide Prevention and Response, designed to improve mental health in the military. In addition, officials plan to hire more than 2,000 new suicide prevention providers over the next four years.

The Hannon Act also plays a key role in the fight. Signed by President Donald Trump in October 2020, the act calls for more effective mental health care and suicide prevention programs in the VA, improving access and creating more precision in care for veterans.

While these measures are beneficial, the military should not ignore the impact of non-medical efforts as well. In 2023, the USS Gerald R. Ford deployed with a yellow labrador retriever in an effort to improve life at sea. This, together with an emphasis on intentional fellowship between service members to care for one another, can play a huge, and in some cases a more effective, role in overcoming the challenges facing mental health within the services.

The significance of this struggle is great, not only in the way it affects retention and military training, but more importantly in the way it affects the individual for a lifetime. There is hope in the measures put in place to address the psychological trauma that service members go through, but the fight is far from over. Now is the time for more trusted care, stronger leadership and intentional partnership within and beyond services.

523 suicides is 523 too many to consider this battle over.