Soldier Suicide Study - Long Overdue

On October 23rd, the Army and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) entered into a partnership to determine the root of why soldiers commit suicide. This partnership begins a five-year, $50 million, research project to determine the factors behind soldier suicides and how to prevent them.

Secretary of the Army Pete Geren said the new partnership would be building on work that is already underway in order to conduct the most far-reaching and comprehensive research project ever undertaken on suicide and its prevention. "It's a five-year study to examine the mental and behavioral health of soldiers with particular focus on the multiple determinants of suicidal behavior and resiliency across all phases of Army service," Geren said. "Family members and family relationships, including parents and siblings, will also be included in the study where it's appropriate." The National Guard and Army Reserve will also be included in the study.

An Army Science Board study would follow to identify correlated risk factors with recommendations for actionable mitigation strategies and practices to prevent the suicides. The implementation of the mitigation strategies would not wait for the end of the study but will be put into practice as they reveal themselves.

Not only will the study help the soldier population but it will give NIMH a bigger picture on the suicide risk factors of the nation's population, according to NIMH Director Dr. Thomas R. Insel. "There are more than 30,000 suicides in the U.S. each year, actually 32,000 in 2006, the most recent year for which we have numbers," he said. "That's almost twice the number of homicides in the country. Suicide is really a significant public health problem. If we can reduce the rate in the Army, it will ultimately reduce the rate in the nation - those are really the goals for this collaborative effort."

Dr. S. Ward Casscells, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, said that "suicide rates aren't exactly plummeting." "Half the suicides we can't figure out what happened, so that's why we need the NIMH help," he said.

Geren said in 2007 the Army confirmed 115 suicides, 36 of 115 were deployed at time of death, 50 had been deployed prior to their deaths and 29 of the 115 had never been deployed. The Secretary expects suicide rates for 2008 will be up compared with 2007 rates.