CRS INSIGHT
Suicide Rates and Risk Factors for the National Guard
September 9, 2019 (IN11164)
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Kristy N. Kamarck
Bryce H. P. Mendez
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Kristy N. Kamarck, Specialist in Military Manpower (kkamarck@crs.loc.gov, 7-7783)
Bryce H. P. Mendez, Analyst in Defense Health Care Policy (bhmendez@crs.loc.gov, 7-1577)
In the past decade, federal and state governments have made a sustained effort to improve suicide prevention and
response for the Armed Forces through funding, oversight, and legislation to enhance mental health and resiliency
programs. The Department of Defense's Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO)
has reported that overall military suicide
rates for the Active and Reserve Components are generally comparable with those of the general U.S. population when
adjusting for demographics (i.e., the military is younger and has a greater percentage of men than the general U.S.
population). However, the suicide mortality rate for the National Guard (NG)—a segment of the Reserve Component—
has been consistently higher than that for active component members, other reservists, and a demographically similar
portion of the general population. Only the veteran population has had an equivalent or higher adjusted suicide rate.
This raises questions as to whether there are risk factors that are unique to service in the Guard that could be driving the
difference. Figure 1 compares the CY2016 adjusted suicide rates for military components relative to veterans and the
general population.
Figure 1. Comparison of Adjusted Military Suicide Rates
CY2016
