USA Today, one of the most widely circulated newspapers in the United States, wrote that suicide has surpassed “enemy fire” as a cause of death among serving soldiers.
USA Today obtained a Defense Health Agency study of “US military deaths” from 2014 to 2019. According to the news, the study found that 883 US military deaths occurred by suicide during the same period, while the number of deaths from “enemy fire” during the same period was 96.
The study noted that the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the Middle East has led to a decline in battlefield deaths, with accidents accounting for 814 deaths, second only to suicide.
The study noted that suicide rates have increased since 2019, with harmful behaviors such as drinking alcohol contributing to the increase, and also shared that 55 soldiers died by suicide in 2024.
As military officials search for solutions to prevent suicides in the military, the Defense Department agreed in September 2023 to consider improving soldiers’ access to mental health services and incentives for safe storage of firearms, following recommendations from an independent commission that has been investigating suicides. It said 70% of suicide deaths are accounted for by him.
