Photo by Marine Corps Sgt. Mark Fayloga

The loss of any warrior’s life is a tragedy, whether it’s in combat or in a different type of battle. Although relatively uncommon overall, military suicides have unfortunately increased recently, especially within the Army and Marine Corps.^1,2,3 Every suicide within the armed forces community is ultimately preventable, and even one is too many.

That’s why it’s critical to speak up if you have concerns about a buddy’s psychological wellbeing. Use the information below to learn to recognize when a fellow warrior may be at risk for suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and what to do when you identify a problem.

Warning Signs of Suicide: Identify Those at Risk

Regardless of your branch of service, you’ve been trained to identify sources of physical danger for yourself and your fellow warriors. But you can also identify psychological danger by asking yourself some questions about your buddy’s behavioral health.

Is someone you know showing these signs for concern?

• Previous suicide attempt or self-destructive behavior
• Significant relationship, financial, medical or work-related problems
• Current or pending disciplinary or legal action
• Substance misuse
• Problems with a major life transition (retirement, discharge, divorce, etc.)
• Loss of a buddy or members of unit
• Setbacks in military career or personal life
• Severe, prolonged stress that seems unmanageable
• Sense of powerlessness, helplessness or hopelessness
• Behavior that isolates your buddy from friends and family members⁴

Suicidal thoughts are usually associated with problems that can be treated or dealt with,⁵ so proactively confronting the problem and seeking treatment is the best way to ensure resilience. If your buddy is showing any of the above signs for concern, don’t hesitate — have the strength to take action.

Take Action if You Notice a Problem

Winning the Fight Against Suicide

Watch Army Capt. Emily Stehr tell the story of how she experienced and dealt with combat stress and depression. Capt. Stehr considered suicide after returning from deployment to Iraq, but got help before it was too late. She now shares her story to motivate others to seek help.

It takes courage to deal with psychological issues in yourself or in a fellow warrior. If the situation is urgent, use these resources to get immediate assistance for your buddy:

• Call 1-800-273-TALK and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line, or chat live online.
• Talk to a medic, chaplain or commanding officer immediately — they can support you in locating confidential treatment for regaining your buddy’s mission readiness.

In addition to seeking out these resources for a buddy, you can also use the ACE guidelines listed below to address the problem effectively:^6,7

ASK your warrior about suicidal thoughts

• Have the courage to ask if your warrior is having thoughts of suicide, but stay calm.
• Ask the question directly: Are you thinking of killing yourself?
• Know the signs for concern listed above.

CARE for your warrior

• Stay calm and safe — do not use force.
• Understand that your loved one may be in pain. 
• Removing any lethal means, such as weapons or pills. 
• Actively listen for details about what, where and when your warrior may be planning to kill himself or herself. (If your warrior acknowledges his/her plans, it generally suggests that he/she is accepting your help.) 
• Actively listening without passing judgment can help produce relief for the warrior.

ESCORT your warrior to get help

• Escort your warrior immediately to his/her chain of command, Chaplain or behavioral health professional. 
• Call 911 or 800-273-TALK to speak with a trained professional right away.
  Don’t keep your warrior’s suicidal behavior a secret. 
• Never leave your warrior alone — stay until he/she receives appropriate help. 
• Adopting an attitude that you are going to help your loved one will save his or her life.

No Warrior Stands Alone

Each military service offers resources suicide prevention resources — including proactive suicide prevention programs instituted by the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy.

The stakes in the fight against military suicide are the same as the stakes in combat: lives are on the line. That’s why — now more than ever — you must use your strength to step up and take action if someone you know is at risk.

Additional Resources

Read more suicide prevention articles from Real Warriors

• You Are Not Alone: Suicide Prevention Tools for Warriors
• Suicide Prevention Resources for Military Families

Learn more about identifying signs for concern

• Suicide warning signs
• Other symptoms and danger signs
• Watch Army’s suicide prevention training videos

Get additional information about preventing suicide

• From Navy Personnel Command
• From the Department of Health and Human Services
• From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• From the National Institute of Mental Health

Sources

¹ Alvarez, Lizette. “Suicides of Soldiers Reach High of Nearly 3 Decades.” The New York Times. Published January 29, 2009.
² “Corps suffered decade leading suicide rates in 2008,” Quantico Sentry. Published February 6, 2009.
³ Jowers, Karen. "Services wrestle with rise in suicide rates." NavyTimes, Published February 5, 2009.
⁴ Leader’s Guide for Managing Marines in Distress. Last accessed September 23, 2011.
⁵ American Association of Suicidology’s “Thinking About Suicide?” Web page. Last accessed September 23, 2011.
⁶ DoD ACE Suicide Prevention Card (TA-120-0909)
⁷ ACE Suicide prevention Program: Trainer’s Manual. U.S. Army Public Health Command.