https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated July 23, 2021
Military Suicide Prevention and Response
Background
When a servicemember dies by suicide, those close to the
member often experience shock, anger, guilt, and sorrow.
As such, a servicemember’s suicide may adversely impact
the wellbeing of his or her family and friends. Further, it
may affect the morale and readiness of his or her unit. The
military’s response to suicidal thoughts (ideation), attempts,
and deaths involves coordinated efforts among command
and unit leadership, medical professionals, counselors, and
others across the military community.
Under its constitutional authority to organize and regulate
the military, Congress has oversight over this issue and may
consider policy interventions to mitigate suicide risk
factors.
Defense Suicide Prevention Office
The Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO),
established in 2012, is the office responsible for “advocacy,
program oversight, and policy for Department of Defense
(DOD) suicide prevention, intervention and postvention
efforts to reduce suicidal behaviors in servicemembers,
civilians and their families.” The office also manages a 24-
hour Military Crisis Line, produces an annual DOD Suicide
Event Report (DoDSER), and compiles quarterly DOD
military suicide reports.
Prevalence Rates
According to DOD reports, in calendar year (CY) 2019 (the
most recently available data), 498 servicemember died by
suicide; including 344 deaths in the Active Component
(AC), 65 in the Reserves, and 89 in the National Guard.
(See According to DOD analysis, when calculating
military suicide rates to account for demographic
disparities between the military and civilian
populations, adjusted military suicide rates are higher
than, but comparable to CDC-reported civilian suicide
rates (i.e., the differences between these rates are not
statistically significant).
Table 1.) While suicide remains a low incidence event,
Active Component suicide rates have trended upwards
since 2013. In 2019, suicide rates in the National Guard
showed a statistically significant decrease from the previous
year; however, in the longer term there are no discernable
trends.
In terms of demographics, over 90% of military suicide
deaths are men, and approximately half of reported suicides
are junior enlisted personnel (E1-E4). While 42.7% of the
total military population in CY2019 were enlisted men
under the age of 30, this demographic accounted for 61% of
the suicide deaths.
Comparison to the General Population
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the suicide mortality rate for the U.S. general
population was 14.2 per 100,000 in 2018; markedly lower
than the 2018 AC rate of 25.9 per 100,000. However, direct
comparisons between the general civilian population and
the military can be deceiving, as the military services are
disproportionately comprised of younger individuals and
more males. These sub-populations at higher risk for
suicide.
According to DOD analysis, when calculating military
suicide rates to account for demographic disparities
between the military and civilian populations, adjusted
military suicide rates are higher than, but comparable to
CDC-reported civilian suicide rates (i.e., the differences
between these rates are not statistically significant).
Table 1. Unadjusted Suicide Mortality Rates by
Service and Component, CY2014-2019
(rate per 100,000 personnel)
