Military service members decreased in 2024 compared to the previous year, though officials warn that it’s too early to tell whether the data represents a blip or signals a long-term shift.
The 78-page Annual Report on Suicide in the Military (ARSM), released by the Pentagon on Tuesday, is the official source for annual suicide counts and rates and provides contextual information related to service member suicide deaths and attempts. The ARSM also highlights current and ongoing Department of Defense-wide efforts to reduce suicide risks for service members and their families. The most recent data is from calendar year 2024.
The number of service members who died by suicide in 2024 totaled 471, down from the 531 recorded incidents in 2023. Of those 471 suicides, 302 were active-duty members, 64 were Reserves, and 105 were National Guard.
Despite a lower suicide rate in 2024 compared to 2023, Active Component suicide rates increased overall for each service from 2011 to 2024. The Reserve and National Guard suicide rates remained stable between those years with no major increase or decrease.
After accounting for age and sex, military suicide rates have been similar to those of the U.S. population in most years between calendar years 2011 and 2024.
The Total Force suicide rate, which encompasses all branches, was also lower in 2024 compared to 2023 (23.2 and 26, respectively). Also, suicide rates were lower in 2024 for the Active Component (23.8) and Reserve (19.5) than in 2023 (28.2 and 22.7, respectively).
The National Guard suicide rate was higher in 2024 (24.6) compared to 2023 (21.7).
The lower Active Component suicide rate in 2024 compared to 2023 is an encouraging sign. However, it is too early to say whether this short-term change signals the start of a shift in long-term trends. - Pentagon report
Suicide rates for service members in calendar year 2024, compared to CY 2023, are as follows:
- The Total Force suicide rate decreased by approximately 11%.
- The Active Component suicide rate decreased by approximately 16%.
- The Reserve suicide rate decreased by approximately 14%.
- The National Guard suicide rate increased by approximately 13%.
In 2023, 146 military family members (98 spouses, 48 dependents) died by suicide, representing a rate of 6.0 per 100,000. The 2023 rate was two-tenths higher in rate (6.0 compared to 5.8 in 2022).
Firearms Remain Most Common Method of Suicide
Suicide by firearm was the most common method in the Active Component, Reserve and National Guard in 2024, as well as by the broader U.S. population in 2023. Total Force Service members had a larger proportion of suicide deaths by firearm than the U.S. population in 2023.
“Consistent with previous years, firearm was the leading method of death by suicide across the Total Force,” the report states. “Most firearm deaths occur with a personally owned firearm. This reinforces the importance of practicing lethal means safety, particularly with firearms.
“Safe firearm storage can take many forms. For example, storing the firearm and ammunition separately, using a cable or trigger lock, or storing firearms in a lockbox, gun safe, or off-site, such as at a private gun club. For service members who reside on installations, it may also be possible to store a personally owned firearm in the installation armory.”
The second-most common method of suicide among the Active Component, Reserve, National Guard and general U.S. population was hanging/asphyxiation, at 26%, 16%, 15% and 29%, respectively.
Males accounted for 65% of suicides among military spouses and 60% of military dependent suicide deaths. Suicide by firearm was also the most common method of death for military spouses (69%). Hanging/asphyxiation (44%), followed by firearm (40%), were the most common methods of death by suicide among military dependents.
Pentagon Continues to Mitigate, Provide Services
The Department of Defense said in a statement on Tuesday that it continues to develop its support services, in part, by expanding the availability and accessibility of clinical services, such as telehealth.
That includes garnering information gleaned from the Brandon Act, a law passed in 2001 after a Navy sailor’s suicide which allows service members to seek help confidentially “for any reason, at any time, and in any environment,” as stated within the report.
“The Department of Defense remains committed to suicide prevention across the military community,” the report states. “It has developed a number of evidence-informed initiatives meant to increase protective factors and reduce risk factors for suicide.
“The goal remains one of achieving a long-term, sustained decrease in suicide rates for Service members and their families. The Department’s comprehensive suicide prevention program operates across five lines of effort.”
Those “five lines” include fostering a supportive environment, improving the delivery of mental health care, addressing stigma and other care barriers, revising suicide prevention training, and promoting a culture of “lethal means safety.”
