Vet News: Army Releases October 2013 Suicide Information

The Army released suicide data today for the month of October 2013. Among active-duty soldiers, there were 10 potential suicides: None have been confirmed as suicide and 10 remain under investigation. For September 2013, the Army reported nine potential suicides among active-duty soldiers; however, subsequent to the report, one more case was added bringing September’s total to 10: three have been confirmed as suicides and seven are under investigation. For CY 2013, there have been 126 potential active-duty suicides: 67 have been confirmed as suicides and 59 remain under investigation. Updated active-duty suicide numbers for CY 2012: 186 (172 have been confirmed as suicides and 14 remain under investigation).

During October 2013, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 12 potential suicides (11 Army National Guard and one Army Reserve): None have been confirmed as suicide and 12 remain under investigation. For September 2013, among that same group, the Army reported eight potential suicides: three have been confirmed as suicides and five cases remain under investigation. For CY 2013, there have been 125 potential not on active duty suicides (82 Army National Guard and 43 Army Reserve): 87 have been confirmed as suicides and 38 remain under investigation. Updated not on active duty suicide numbers for CY 2012: 140 (93 Army National Guard and 47 Army Reserve): 140 have been confirmed as suicides and none remain under investigation.

The Military Crisis Line offers free and confidential support to service members in crisis or anyone who knows a service member who is. The service is staffed by caring, qualified responders from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), many who have served in the military themselves. Support is offered through the crisis line, online chat, and text-messaging services for all service members (active, National Guard and reserve) and veterans 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year by visiting the Military Crisis Line website at http://www.militarycrisisline.net; Online Chat at: http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ChatTermsOfService.aspx; sending a text to: 838255 or calling toll free at: 1-800-273-8255, Press 1; in Europe Dial: 00800 1273 8255 or DSN 118. Services are available even if members are not registered with the VA or enrolled in VA health care.

The Army's comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.preventsuicide.army.mil.

Information about the Army’s Ready and Resilient campaign is located at http://www.army.mil/readyandresilient

Army leaders can access current health promotion guidance in the revised Army Regulation 600-63 (Health Promotion) at: http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_63.pdf and in Army Pamphlet 600-24 (Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention) at http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/p600_24.pdf.

Suicide prevention training resources for soldiers, leaders, Department of the Army civilians, and family members can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials).

Information about Military OneSource is located at www.militaryonesource.com or by dialing the toll-free number 1-800-342-9647 for those residing in the continental U.S. Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource web site for dialing instructions for their specific location.

Information about the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program (CSF2) is located at http://csf2.army.mil/.

The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at [email protected] and at www.dcoe.health.mil.

The website for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is http://www.afsp.org/ and the Suicide Prevention Resource Council site is found at http://www.sprc.org/