U.S. Soldiers Nine Times More Likely to Die by Suicide than in Action: Pentagon

Washington Examiner

U.S. soldiers are overwhelmingly more likely to die by suicide than in combat, according to data from the Pentagon.

A five-year study from the Defense Health Agency, from 2014 to 2019, found suicide as the leading cause of death among active-duty soldiers. Compared to 96 combat deaths over the period, 883 soldiers died by suicide — nine times more. The second leading cause of death was accidents, with 814 deaths.

According to figures obtained by USA Today, the suicide rate among active-duty soldiers has climbed significantly since the end of the study in 2019, when the suicide rate was 28.8 per 100,000 soldiers. It rose to a record high in 2023, with 36.6 deaths per 100,000. The rate for 2024 is 31.8 per 100,000 through May, according to the outlet. So far, 55 soldiers have died by suicide this year.

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