Deaths By Suicide Outpace Deaths From Combat Operations Among Post-9/11 Service Members, Veterans

Published June 24, 2021 at 11:11 AM CDT

A new report estimates that the number of active-duty U.S. service members and veterans of post-9/11 wars that have died by suicide is more than four times the number killed in war operations.

The report counts 30,177 active duty personnel and veterans who have died by suicide, significantly more than the 7,057 service members killed in post-9/11 war operations. And the problem is getting worse, with the rate of suicide increasing.

Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd speaks with Thomas Howard Suitt III, the author of the report.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En Español: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis Text Line by texting 741741.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.