The following is the Oct. 20, 2022, Department of Defense Annual Report on Suicide in the Military.
From the report
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Annual Report on Suicide in the Military serves as the official source for annual suicide counts and rates for DoD. This annual report satisfies requirements established by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD[P&R]) in October 2018, requiring a report that serves as the official source for annual suicide counts and unadjusted rates for DoD. This annual report also includes information about DoD efforts and initiatives undertaken in CY2021 that aim to reduce suicide risk among Service members and their families. In addition, this report contains the calendar year (CY) 2021 Department of Defense Suicide Event Report (DoDSER) System Data Summary, which provides contextual information related to Service member suicides and suicide attempts (see Enclosure).
This report reflects DoD’s transparency, accountability, and commitment to preventing suicide. It was developed in collaboration with the Military Departments, Military Services, National Guard Bureau, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, and the Defense Human Resources Activity. This collaborative process is reflective of DoD’s commitment to an integrated and collaborative approach to prevent suicide.
The Department leverages standardized processes to collect Service member and military family suicide death data and to report these data in a transparent and timely manner each year. The first two sections of this report present this suicide surveillance data, including CY 2021 suicide counts and rates for Service members and CY 2020 suicide counts and rates among military family members.a The third section of this report outlines efforts undertaken in 2021 toward key priority areas, including promoting a culture of lethal means safety, addressing stigma as a barrier to help-seeking, and fostering a supportive environment for Service members and their families.
Download the document here.
