Military suicide stats released, Army saw highest increase of deaths

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Military suicide stats released, Army saw highest increase of deaths
By Zamone Perez
Jul 3, 03:37 PM
A line of flags is placed in remembrance of each member of the Department of Defense who was lost to suicide in 2021 at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Sept. 1, 2022.
A line of flags is placed in remembrance of each member of the Department of Defense who was lost to suicide in 2021 at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Sept. 1, 2022. (Senior Airman Zachary Wright/Air Force)

Editor’s note: This report contains discussion of suicide. Troops, veterans and family members experiencing suicidal thoughts can call the 24-hour Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or [login to see] , text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net.

The number of suicides across the active-duty military increased from 75 in the first quarter of 2022 to 94 in the first quarter of 2023, according to the Defense Suicide Prevention Office.

The Pentagon’s office on prevention said to be wary of extrapolating and interpreting the data.

“Caution should be used when making comparisons across groups and/or interpreting changes in suicide counts across time because counts do not account for changes in population size,” the report warned.

“Rates account for differences in population sizes; and, as such, provide a more standardized way to make comparisons over time or across groups,” it continued.

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk SGT Charlie Lee] Sgt (Join to see) PV2 Larry Sellnow SPC Gary C. SPC (Join to see) Amn Dale Preisach SGT Ruben Lozada 1SG Patrick Burke PO2 Marco Monsalve Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Kim Patterson] SFC Ralph E Kelley PV2 Scott M. PO1 Lyndon Thomas SPC (Join to see) SGT Ruben Lozada SSG William Jones