Suicides among military service members increased in 2023, continuing a gradual increase in suicides among active-duty forces that has continued despite prevention efforts.
Department of Defense Annual Report on Army Suicides The report released Thursday said suicides among active-duty military personnel are expected to rise from 331 in 2022 to 363 in 2023.
“Yes, this long-term trend is slowly increasing,” Dr. Timothy Hoyt, deputy director of the Force Resiliency Office at the Defense Department, told reporters on a call.
According to data released in the 2023 annual report, the suicide rate has increased from 17 per 100,000 active duty service members in 2011 to 26 in 2023, although Rates reduced for one year Till 2020-2021.
Active duty service members who died by suicide in 2023 included men under the age of 30, who accounted for 61% of suicides. The most common method of suicide was firearms at 65%, followed by hanging or suffocation at 28%.
Defense officials said suicide rates were similar to rates in the US population between 2011 and 2022.
“We are not immune to the factors that drive suicide across America, and our service members face many unique military challenges, in addition to them,” Hoyt said.
He said the suicide prevention response and the independent review committee's recommendations provided a “mechanism by which we can address as many potential risks as possible and invest in those places.”
Pentagon formed review committee Provide recommendations to reduce suicide deaths In the army. Last year the committee made several recommendations, including comprehensively improving the delivery of mental health care, eliminating stigma and other barriers to care, and revising suicide prevention training.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who established the congressionally mandated review committee in 2022, said in a statement that the annual report's findings “demonstrate the urgent need for the department to double down on its work in the complex areas of suicide prevention and control.” Display.” Austin said The Defense Department implemented 20 of the 83 committee recommendations.
Hoyt told reporters that the Pentagon expects to spend about $250 million on suicide prevention in fiscal year 2025, the largest amount ever invested by the Defense Department.
“We've had a number of initiatives over the last two decades, but there's been inadequate investment in making sure that they have the staying power, that we've got the long-term implementation of those programs,” Hoyt said.
The total number of suicides across the entire force, including both active duty and reserves, was 523 in 2023, compared to 493 in 2022.
Suicide is one of the main reasons for this death for giants Too. The suicide rate was 33.9 per 100,000 in 2021, up from 32.6 per 100,000 in 2020, according to the most recent report from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
For more information about mental health care resources and support, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline, Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or by email Can be contacted. info@nami.org.