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The High Rate of Suicide Among Military Members and How to Raise Awareness

Writer's picture: Michael YearbyMichael Yearby


Suicide is a preventable tragedy that has impacted the military for years. In 2019, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced that suicide rates among active-duty service members had reached a record high. The report stated that there were a total of 541 active-duty suicides in 2018, which was an increase from 481 in 2017.


This is an alarming trend that the military cannot ignore. Many factors contribute to suicide, including mental health conditions, relationship problems, financial stress, etc. The military has been working hard to raise awareness and prevent suicide, but more needs to be done. In this blog post, we will discuss the high rate of suicide among military members and what can be done to raise awareness and prevent future tragedies.


As mentioned earlier, the rate of suicide among active-duty service members is alarmingly high. In 2018, there were a total of 541 suicides, which was an increase from 481 in 2017. This is the highest suicide rate since the DoD began tracking suicides in 2001.


Many factors contribute to suicide, including mental health conditions, relationship problems, financial stress, etc. The military has been working hard to raise awareness and prevent suicide, but more needs to be done. In this blog post, we will discuss the high rate of suicide among military members and what can be done to raise awareness and prevent future tragedies.


What Can Be Done to Raise Awareness and Prevent Future Tragedies?

The military has been working hard to raise awareness and prevent suicide, but more needs to be done. Some things that you can do to raise awareness and prevent future tragedies include:


· Increasing mental health screenings for all service members

· Encouraging service members to seek help if they are struggling

· Making sure service members have access to quality mental health care

· Promoting positive coping mechanisms for dealing with stress

· Increasing communication between commanders and service members

· Creating a supportive environment within the military culture


If you are a struggling service member, please know that you are not alone and there is help available. Please reach out to someone who can provide support, such as a family member, friend, chaplain, or medical professional. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 988 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.


The high rate of suicide among military members is a tragedy that we cannot ignore. Many factors contribute to suicide, including mental health conditions, relationship problems, financial stress, etc. The military has been working hard to raise awareness and prevent suicide, but more needs to be done. In this blog post, we discussed the high rate of suicide among military members and what can be done to raise awareness and prevent future tragedies. If you are a struggling service member, please reach out for help. Remember: you are not alone, and there is help available.

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