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Updated October 2, 2019
Military Suicide Prevention and Response
Background
greatly differ in terms of age and sex. The military services
When a servicemember dies by suicide, those close to the
are disproportionately comprised of younger individuals
member often experience shock, anger, guilt, and sorrow.
and more males—sub-populations at higher risk for suicide.
As such, a servicemember’s suicide may adversely impact
For CY2018, DOD found that after adjusting for age and
the wellbeing of his or her family and friends. Further, it
sex, the suicide rates for Active and Reserve members are
may affect the morale and readiness of his or her unit. The
military’s r
close to what would be expected if the military had the
esponse to suicidal thoughts (ideation), attempts,
same age and sex composition as the U.S. general
and deaths involves coordinated efforts among command
population. However, DOD has reported that the rate of
and unit leadership, medical professionals, counselors, and
suicide for the National Guard is higher than expected
others across the military community.
relative to the general population.
Under the authority given to Congress in Article 1, Section
Table 1. Unadjusted Suicide Mortality Rates by
8 of the U.S. Constitution, to raise and support armies;
Service and Component, 2013-2018
provide and maintain a navy; and provide for organizing,
(rate per 100,000 personnel)
disciplining, and regulating them, Congress strives to
understand the scope of this issue as it pertains to the
Service
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
military, the efforts previously taken to address it, and the
considerations for confronting it in the future.
Active Total
18.5
20.4
20.2
21.5
21.9
24.8
Defense Suicide Prevention Office
Army
22.5
24.6
24.4
27.4
24.3
29.5
The Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO),
Air Force
14.4
19.1
20.5
19.4
19.6
18.5
established in 2012, is the office responsible for “advocacy,
program oversight, and policy for Department of Defense
Navy
12.7
16.6
13.1
15.9
20.1
20.7
(DOD) suicide prevention, intervention and postvention
Marine
efforts to reduce suicidal behaviors in servicemembers,
23.1
17.9
21.2
20.1
23.4
31.4
Corps
civilians and their families.” The office also manages a 24-
hour Military Crisis Line, produces an annual DOD Suicide
Reserve
22.8
21.6
24.7
22.0
25.7
22.9
Event Report (DoDSER), and compiles quarterly DOD
Total
military suicide reports.
Army
29.6
21.4
27.7
20.6
32.1
25.3
Prevalence Rates
Reserve
In calendar year (CY) 2018, DOD reported 541
Air Force
nr
nr
nr
nr
nr
nr
servicemember suicide deaths. There were 325 suicides in
Reserve
the Active Component (AC), 81 in the Reserves, and 135 in
Navy
the National Guard. While suicide remains a low incidence
nr
nr
nr
nr
nr
nr
Reserve
event, Active Component suicide rates have trended
upwards since 2013. In CY2018, the active Marine Corps
Marine
and Army had the highest rates among the services. While
Corps
nr
nr
nr
nr
nr
nr
overall National Guard and Reserve rates have not shown a
Reserve
discernable trend since 2013, Army National Guard suicide
rates have been consistently higher than the other services
Natl Guard
28.9
19.8
27.5
27.3
29.1
30.6
and components (see Table 1 for rates across components).
Total
In terms of demographics, over 90% of military suicide
Army Guard 33.7
21.8
29.8
31.6
34.6
35.3
deaths are men, and approximately half of reported suicides
Air Guard
nr
nr
19.9
nr
nr
nr
are junior enlisted personnel (E1-E4).
Source: Compiled by CRS from Annual Suicide Reports and DOD
Comparison to the General Population
Suicide Event Reports.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Notes: Rates for subgroups with fewer than 20 suicides are not
(CDC), the suicide mortality rate for the U.S. general
reported (nr) by DOD due to statistical instability.
population was 14.0 per 100,000 in 2017: markedly lower
than the 2017 AC rate of 21.9 per 100,000. However,
Military-Specific Suicide Risk Factors
comparisons between military and civilian populations can
While military servicemembers are already a high-risk
be misleading because of differences in suicide reporting
population for suicide due to the demographic composition,
methods used by CDC and DOD. Also, these populations
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the exposure to unique demands of military service are also
Legislative Actions
associated with greater risk factors for this population:
Congress has taken actions to enhance and expand DOD
suicide prevention policies and programs (see Table 2).
Mental Health Conditions and Disorders. Exposure to
These actions have included strengthening DOD oversight
combat and high-stress environments is associated with
and increasing data collection, reporting, and analysis.
higher rates of mental health diagnoses, such as depression,
Other legislation has sought to improve outreach,
anxiety disorders, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
awareness, and resiliency, particularly among certain
(PTSD). Rates of these conditions and disorders among
military communities deemed to be at high risk for suicide.
military servicemembers rose steadily from 2005 to 2015,
according to the DOD Deployment Health Clinical Center.
Table 2. Selected Legislation, FY2011-FY2019
Head Trauma/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Research
Authority
Action
shows increased suicide ideation, attempt, and death rates
FY2011 NDAA Required DOD to establish a task force to
among people who have experienced head trauma.
(P.L. 110-417)
examine suicide prevention and develop a
Deployed military members may sustain concussive injuries
comprehensive suicide prevention policy.
as a result of explosive blasts. According to the Defense
and Veterans Brain Injury Center, 17,841 servicemembers
FY2012 NDAA Required DOD to enhance its suicide
were diagnosed with TBI in 2017.
(P.L. 112-81)
prevention program in cooperation with other
government stakeholders and to include
Substance Abuse and Associated Disorders. Evidence
suicide prevention information in pre-
indicates elevated risk of death by suicide among people
separation counseling.
with substance-use disorders, including heavy alcohol use.
FY2013 NDAA Established a DOD oversight position for
While illicit drug use is not prevalent in the military,
(P.L. 112-239)
suicide prevention and resilience programs
surveys have shown that a higher percentage of military
and expanded programs to RC members and
personnel report heavy alcohol use compared to similar
their families.
civilian cohorts. Among servicemembers, drug and alcohol
overdoses are the most common methods for suicide
Amended Section 1062 of the FY2011 NDAA
attempts.
to allow a member’s health professional or
commanding officer to inquire if the member
Access to Firearms. Studies have shown that access to
owns or plans to acquire any weapons if
firearms is associated with increased risk of death by
reasonable belief exists that the member is at
suicide. Servicemembers generally have more exposure to
high risk for suicide or harm to others.
firearms than the civilian population and are more likely to
FY2015 NDAA Required DOD to prescribe standards for
own a personal firearm. Firearms are the most common
(P.L. 113-291)
data col ection and reporting related to
method of suicide death among military populations,
suicides and suicide attempts to include
accounting for 69.6% of all CY2018 suicides in the
reporting for military dependents, and
National Guard, 61.7% in the Reserves, and 60.0% in the
directed DOD to conduct a review of suicide
Active Component.
prevention programs for Special Operations
Funding
Forces (SOF).
Congress funds DOD suicide prevention programs and
FY2016 NDAA Authorized DOD to develop a policy to
research through its annual defense appropriation. Suicide
(P.L. 114-92)
coordinate its efforts with non-governmental
prevention research is primarily funded through the
suicide prevention groups and expanded
Defense Health Program and, in the past, has received
outreach to separating servicemembers.
additional funds through the Congressionally Directed
Medical Research Program (CDMRP). In FY2019,
Source: CRS consolidation of relevant legislation.
Congress appropriated $125 million for the CDMRP’s
Considerations for Congress
psychological health and TBI research portfolio, which
includes the Military Suicide Research Consortium. In
Oversight questions for Congress with regard to military
FY2019, the Psychological Health Center of Excellence
suicide and resiliency may include:
(PHCoE) was appropriated $1.42 million. PHCoE focuses
How can research be better disseminated and brought
on conducted research and integrating evidence-based
into practice?
treatments to address mental health conditions, including
On what aspects of the issue should future
suicide.
congressionally funded research efforts focus?
The President’s FY2020 Budget Request includes $9.3
million to fund DSPO, up from $8.7 million in FY2019.
What gaps, if any, remain in DOD, service-level, or
The military services, components, and activities, also fund
interagency suicide prevention programs?
suicide prevention and resiliency activities, as part of
What factors contribute to differences in suicide rates
family and community support programs, through their
among the services and components?
Operation and Maintenance budget (e.g., the Army’s Ready
and Resilient Campaign or the Special Operations
Are high-risk military members and communities being
Command Preservation of the Force and Family initiative).
identified and do they have access to appropriate and/or
tailored services?
Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower
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Military Suicide Prevention and Response
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