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John Geis

Professor Dean Leonard

English Comp II

3 Apr 2021

Why Are Suicide Related Deaths So Prevalent In The United States Military?

While serving in the Marine Corps, I realized by the end of my four-year enlistment, that

I had encountered 5 different suicide incidents during my enlistment. Two men cut their wrists,

one tried to jump off a building, one was extremely vocal about committing suicide, and the last

one, a friend, succeeded in hanging himself in a bathroom. Why are suicide related deaths so

prevalent in the military? If you think its due to high levels of stress, then you would be correct.

Another reason the suicide rate is so high in the military, is the implementation of the

Department of Defense’s (DoD) Suicide Prevention Programs.

For decades the suicide rate in the Military stayed relatively the same and was slightly

lower than the civilian suicide rate. However, in the year 2000, the suicide rate skyrocketed, and

nearly doubled[ CITATION Pru19 \l 1033 ]. What can account for this sudden increase? The shift

from the Cold-War Era to the War-on-Terror Era certainly impacted this number. A correlation

from rate of deployments to number of suicides was discovered and confirmed [ CITATION Jef12 \l

1033 ]. Several other variables have also been discovered, divorce being one of them.

Failed relationships, and divorce are frequently cited by many experts, and

servicemembers as a key point of stress, and sadness, for many servicemembers. In an interview

with Marine Corps veteran, Jacob Nickels[CITATION Nic21 \l 1033 ], he cited an ex-girlfriend, as a
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reason why a marine he knew, decided to committed suicide. It’s worth noting there were several

other reasons such as isolation and being homesick. However, the break-up was described as a

“definite” contributor to the suicide [ CITATION Nic21 \l 1033 ]. Furthermore, a study of

longitudinal data from 1999 through 2008, found that risk of divorce rises with the length of

deployments, and is especially worse for female servicemembers. Another notable finding was

servicemembers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan were more likely to suffer a

divorce[ CITATION Neg12 \l 1033 ].

The same Longitudinal study previously cited, also shows that marriages are extremely

destabilized, while one member of the marriage is serving overseas, or even, in combat. PTSD

(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), from combat or other circumstances, is also a factor in divorce

rates. While the first month after returning from a deployment has the highest probability for the

divorce, the following months, up to the first year, are also more likely to experience a divorce

during that time. Deployments do not always have a negative effect on marriages, however.

Many servicemembers return from a deployment with improved communication skills and

fulfilled sense of service and increased levels of pride [ CITATION Neg12 \l 1033 ]. This,

undoubtably, is positive. Unfortunately, not all servicemembers will return with these positive

emotions and traits.

PTSD and divorce among military members are usually linked together. Where you find

one, you tend to find the other. PTSD has been linked to several issues that can lead to divorce.

Increases in violent behavior, high unemployment rates post EAS (End of Active Service),

increased difficulty in communication, and increased long term mental health issues, are all
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associated with PTSD[ CITATION Neg12 \l 1033 ]. In 2010, married soldiers accounted for nearly

half of the Active Duty U.S. Army component. With divorce rates remaining high in the military,

there is no doubt that many civilians will also be affected by divorce. Spouses, children, and

other family members can be adversely affected, by a military divorce. This can have long term

affects on the servicemember as well. Divorce is already a difficult issue to face. Factor in stress

from deployments, relocating every few years, and an already heavy work tempo into a persons

life, and a divorce, could invoke imminent suicide.

Combat related MOS (Military Occupation Status) have been proven by studies, to be

outliers in suicide related deaths. In a study published by the Annals of Internal Medicine,

Andrew Anglemyer lead a study on military suicides from the years 2005-2011. The research has

shown that 32.9% of all Marines who commit suicide are either Infantry or of a Special

Operations MOS. Furthermore, 3.3% were Artillery or Ordnance Specialists, 1.4% were Missile

specialists, and a further 3.3% were ammunition specialists[ CITATION And18 \l 1033 ]. That is a

total of 40.9% of all Marine Corps suicides from 2005-2011, all of these MOS’s play a direct

role in combat. Especially the Infantry, Special Forces and Artillery MOS’s that account for a

staggering 36% of all Marine Corps suicides.

A combat MOS tend to be more physically demanding, and rigorous than non-combat

MOS’s. This poses several significant issues that can lead an individual to suicide. Infantrymen

are put through a vast rigorous exercise routine, occurring on a weekly basis. One exercise that

causes a large amount of injuries is the Forced Ruck March. These Ruck Marches can range in-

between 3 miles on the shorter end to 15-20 miles on the longer end. Typically carried on the
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Ruck March is a pack that weighs anywhere between 45-75 pounds. Factor in a M-16 rifle, flak

jacket and a Kevlar helmet, and the servicemember is now carrying anywhere from 70-100

pounds of extra gear. Typically, these Ruck Marches are timed, and at a frantic pace of around a

15-minute mile pace, which is a brisk walk. All these factors together tend to result in many

injuries [ CITATION Nic21 \l 1033 ].

Over the course of a few years, mounting injuries add up, and can be debilitating to

many infantrymen. Many find themselves regularly visiting the infirmary or medical element of

their unit. This can create more issues. Such as being labeled a “baby” or being weak for seeking

medical treatment. This is deterring many servicemembers from seeking out needed medical

treatment, which results in longer lasting effects, caused from injuries going untreated. Other

rigorous activities that have the potential to cause debilitating injuries are field exercises. Field

exercises consist of days, or even weeks, of living in harsh, dirty conditions, operating in a

tactical field environment. Illness, and injuries run rampant during a field exercise, as there is

little to no protection from the elements (i.e. cold weather, rain). With all the possibilities for

injuries, and a negative stigma surrounding seeking medical treatment, little injuries typically

become a larger problem, that can affect the career of a servicemember.

Injuries can have a serious negative impact on a servicemembers mental health. In a

recent interview, Marine Corps Veteran, Sarah Clemente, described the agonizing ankle

surgeries she endured, due to long Ruck Marches and general wear and tear from the everyday

military lifestyle. After two surgeries, on both ankles, the Marine Corps chose to give her a

medical discharge, citing her ankles as too damaged to return to full duty. This process was not a
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quick one. It took nearly four years, from the time of the initial ankle surgery, to being medically

discharged. During this period, Sarah was verbally harassed from many senior marines. This,

unfortunately, is the reality for many servicemembers, especially marines, who have sustained

injuries. The injury is often taken lightly by other marines, and the marine is played off as

“faking it” or “being weak”. Sarah described this as one of the worst experiences of her life.

Even after her discharge from the Marines, Sarah still feels the pain, both physically and

mentally [ CITATION Cer21 \l 1033 ]. This is unfortunately the case for many veterans, and active

duty servicemember today.

Rank is another factor frequently brought up when discussing and reading military

suicide. The stigma, or common belief is that the lower ranks E1/E2 are the most likely to

commit suicide, as they are perceived to have the worst time in the military, being of such a low

rank. The data shows us, this is simply not the case. From the previously referenced study by

Andrew Anglemyer, the highest rank across all military branches is the E4, sitting at a 25%

average among all branches. This is followed by E5 at 22% and then E3 at 21.3% [ CITATION

And18 \l 1033 ]. The ranks of E5 and E4 are often referred to as “middle managers”. These are the

Sergeants, Corporals, and Petty Officers tasked with leading the lower ranks, carrying out the

daily operations, and completing tasks given from higher ranking individuals.

This role can become extremely demanding. Interviews from both Sarah, and Jacob,

confirmed this. Both individuals held the rank of Sergeant in the Marine Corps, and both

mentioned the added stress being in this “middle manager” role caused. Sarah even said “I felt

like I couldn’t please the expectations of my Gunnery Sergeant. Between all the junior marines
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issues, the expectations of my seniors, my medical appointments, and other personal issues, I

couldn’t get ahead and stay ahead”. Jacob mentioned facing the same struggles, of feeling like he

did not have enough time to accomplish the tasks assigned to him, while also rehabilitating

injuries, and dealing with other personal issues.

Rank is interesting when looking at suicide rates. For example, when observing the data,

the first two enlisted ranks E1 and E2 have lower percentages of suicide. E3 is when the suicide

rates really increase. The following percentages are out of how many servicemembers committed

suicide out of the total number of suicides for that branch of service. The Navy goes jumps from

1.3% at E2, to 11.5% at E3. The Army goes from 9.8% at E2, to 18.8% at E3. The Airforce

follows suit with 3% at E2, and then jumps to 18.2% at E3. The worst, however, is the Marine

Corps. In the Marine Corps, 15.2% of the total number of suicides were from E2’s, that

percentage is already extremely high. However, it jumps dramatically to 36.7%. 36.7% of all

suicides in the Marine Corps from 2005-2011 were from the rank of E3, Lance

Corporal[ CITATION And18 \l 1033 ]. This is the highest single suicide percentage of any rank in the

entire United States Military. A Lance Corporal (E3) is more likely to kill themselves, then any

other rank in the United States military. This disturbing fact resonated with me for a while upon

learning it, as I held the rank of Lance Corporal for two years.

The rank of E4 has the highest percentage of suicides as stated before, at 25.5%, this is an

average of all the branches. For the rank of E5 the number drops down to 22%. From here the

numbers slowly decrease, down to 1% by the rank of E9[ CITATION And18 \l 1033 ]. These
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numbers show a dramatic increase in the “middle managers” nearly 70% of all suicides in the

military come from the ranks of E3-E5.

Another issue usually brought up with military suicide is age. With the legal age of

entering the United States military, at just 17, many people would believe that most suicide

related deaths would be younger men and women. However, this is another misconception. The

average age across all branches of service is 24.75 [ CITATION And18 \l 1033 ]. The Navy’s average

age being 26, the Armys being 25, the Air Forces being 26, and the Marines being 22. This data

is consistent with that of the data percentage of individual ranks. This is around the age when

more responsibility and pressure are put heavily onto the servicemember. This is also an age

where many service members are coming to an end on their contracts. This is a crucial time in

the servicemembers life. The thought of reenlistment is daunting for many [ CITATION Nic21 \l

1033 ]. However, the thought of exiting the military can be equally as terrifying.

Another interesting thought that was frequently mentioned is sex. With an overwhelming

majority of the Military population being male, many people speculate that this contributes to the

reason why military suicide rates are so high, at least compared to the civilian suicide rate. For

example: in 2010, the Army had a population that was 86% male[ CITATION Ere19 \l 1033 ]. This is

vastly different from the civilian population, which nearly half females, half males. This is

another commonly cited reason for the high military suicide rate. There are simply more men,

and statistically, more males try to kill themselves than females. In fact, the military has an

overwhelmingly high number of males suicides. From the years of 2005-2011, the US military
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experienced 1,416 total suicide related deaths. Only 60 of those were female, a little over 4%

[ CITATION And18 \l 1033 ].

All data coted on sex is consistent with interviews and personal experiences. On both

interviews that were conducted, the victims of each interviewee were both Male. In addition to

this, each victims rank also remained consistent with the statistical findings. One servicemember

was an E3, the other was an E5, two ranks among the highest to commit suicide.

Mental health issues are another key component frequently cited in academic journals on

military suicide. Both pre-existing, and newly developed mental illnesses have proven to be a

factor in ones decision to commit suicide. Studies have shown that mental servicemembers with

mental illness are at a higher risk for suicide, than servicemembers who have a clean bill of

health in this area. In a study of Marine Corps suicides in 2005, the data shows a significant

increase in suicide rates in marines who had a mental health visit, a mental health diagnosis, and

a mental health prescription. On average, in the year 2005, 9.23% of marines were known to

have a diagnosed mental illness. In contrast, 25% of marines who committed suicide, were

diagnosed with a mental illness, a sharp increase from 9 to 25%. 8.24% of marines in 2005 had

at least one visit to a medical center, for a mental health visit. Meaning they had not been

diagnosed with an illness but were seeking treatment for something they thought could be a

mental illness. By contrast, 17.86% of marines who committed suicide in the year of 2005, had

been seen for a mental health issue, but not diagnosed. Again, a sharp increase[ CITATION Jef12 \l

1033 ].
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This, again, is consistent with the interviews that were conducted with both Sarah and

Jacob, the previously mentioned Marine Corps Veterans. Both males who killed themselves were

at least suspected of suffering from a mental health illness, depression being the one cited in both

examples. This seems to support the data previously listed. However, it’s worth noting that the

data may not be entirely accurate. The researchers included an important footnote after they

listed their statistical findings on mental health. These numbers are most likely lower than the

real number of servicemembers walking around with mental illnesses [ CITATION Jef12 \l 1033 ].

Many mental illnesses go unreported, and the “don’t be a baby” culture is a likely suspect for

this. This stigma, or culture, was previously mentioned when discussing injuries. Unfortunately,

many servicemembers are shamed, or belittled, for seeking out help of any kind. Often

servicemembers are told to “tough it out” and “just keep on moving” when confronting superiors

with mental health concerns. This is not 100% across the board, there are solid, competent

superiors in the military, some even suffer from mental illnesses. However, there is a large part

of superiors that lack compassion, and simply discourage a servicemember from seeking help

[ CITATION Cer21 \l 1033 ].

Firearm related suicides are extremely high in the military, particularly in the Army and

the Marine Corps. Nearly half of all suicides in the military from 2005-2011 were due to

firearms [ CITATION Jef12 \l 1033 ]. However, a study in 2015, has shown an increase in firearm

induced suicides. Now, 62.3% of all suicides, are firearms induced. Of those 62.3% of firearm

related suicides, 94.4% used a personally owned firearm. Additionally, 59.2% of all suicides,

regardless of the method, had a firearm present in the nearby vicinity[ CITATION Pru19 \l 1033 ].
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Following firearm related suicides, hanging or asphyxiation is the next highest method for

suicides in the military, at 29.8%. This is again, consistent with the interview given by Jacob.

The male Jacob knew who committed suicide, used the firearm method [ CITATION Nic21 \l 1033 ].

The DoD implemented the Department of Defense Suicide Event Report (DODSER) in

2008, along with strengthening previously existing requirements, for suicide prevention among

military branches [ CITATION Pru19 \l 1033 ]. This has given more accurate, and detailed

information, to help the DoD better understand suicide related deaths. The DODSER also aids

the DoD in fine tuning their Suicide Prevention plans, essentially making them more effective.

So, have these Suicide Prevention programs proven to be effective? When looking at the

statistics, and hard data, the answer would be no. While the suicide rate has slowly decreased

since 2008, it is still extremely high. In 2015, 20.2 out of 100,000 military members committed

suicide, this is a slight decrease from 21.25 out of 100,000 in 2009, which is the peak year for

military suicide[ CITATION Pru19 \l 1033 ].

Looking at the data is always helpful. However, it is not a firsthand account. During both

interviews, Sarah and Jacob were both asked, “What are your thoughts on the Suicide Prevention

Program”. Their responses were both the same, “it’s a joke”. The DoD mandates Semi-annual

Suicide Preventions training (twice a year). However, this training is often viewed as a “check in

the box” for most unit commanders. Therefore, the training is often pushed till the last minute, or

just flat out not taken seriously[ CITATION Cer21 \l 1033 ][ CITATION Nic21 \l 1033 ]. This leads to
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servicemembers to believing the notion that “my mental health isn’t important”. Which ties in

with the previously mentioned stigma/culture about “being a baby or being weak” by seeking

help. Each unit in the military, has their own way of implementing this training, which is the

fundamental issue. Suicide Prevention training is usually conducted in a classroom setting, with

a PowerPoint. The speaker taking the participants through the PowerPoint is often unenthusiastic

and forced to do it, making the participants care that much less about the training they are

receiving. This is an area that is ripe for improving on.

Stress comes in many forms to servicemembers. High rates of divorce, long working

hours, long deployments, fear of seeking mental and physical medical treatment are among just a

few reasons. Stress will always be a factor; people are always going to have stress. The problem

in the military, is there isn’t an effective outlet for a servicemember to make their thoughts, and

feelings known. The Suicide Prevention training by most accounts, is a joke, and not taken

seriously. This is no secret among service members, as lower enlisted, if asked, will give the

same answer. The Suicide Prevention training needs to be conducted, and led by a non-military,

third party individual or individuals. Servicemembers, should not be shamed by wanting to seek

mental and physical help. Most servicemembers agree, that a third party, mental health system,

separate from the military Chain of Command (CoC) should be enacted and put into place.
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Works Cited

Anglemyer, Andrew, et al. “Suicide Rates and Methods in Active Duty Military

Personnel, 2005 to 2011: A Cohort Study.” Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 165,

no. 3, Aug. 2016, pp. 167–174. EBSCOhost, doi:10.7326/M15-2785 Accessed 28

March 2021

Clemente, Sarah. Personal Interview, 26 March 2021

Hyman, Jeffrey, et al. “Suicide Incidence and Risk Factors in an Active Duty US Military

Population.” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 102, no. S1, Mar. 2012, pp.

S138–S146. EBSCOhost, doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300484. Accessed 31 March

2021

Negrusa, Brighita, and Sebastian Negrusa. “Home Front: Post-Deployment Mental

Health and Divorces.” Demography, vol. 51, no. 3, June 2014, pp. 895–916.

EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s13524-014-0294-9. Accessed 31 March 2021

Nickels, Jacob. Personal Interview, 7 March 2021

Pruitt, Larry D., et al. “Suicide in the Military: Understanding Rates and Risk Factors

Across the United States’ Armed Forces.” Military Medicine, vol. 184, Mar.

2019, pp. 432–437. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1093/milmed/usy296. Accessed 25 March

2021

Watkins, Eren Youmans, et al. “Adjusting Suicide Rates in a Military Population:

Methods to Determine the Appropriate Standard Population.” American Journal

of Public Health, vol. 108, no. 6, June 2018, pp. 769–776. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304410. Accessed 30 March 2021

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