Army Suicides: “Knowns” and an Interpretative Framework for Future Directions

Lifetime Suicidal Behaviors and Career Characteristics Among U.S. Army Soldiers: Results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS)

“…In addition to rank and occupation, differences in suicidal behavior may vary among Regular Army and G/R components. Suicide rates over the past decade have increased in both the Regular Army and G/R (Black, Gallaway, Bell, & Ritchie, 2011; Griffith, 2012), but few studies have examined whether suicidal behaviors differ between components. Ursano, Heeringa and colleagues (2015) reported a higher lifetime rate of suicidal ideation among activated G/R soldiers than soldiers in the Regular Army during the first week of Basic Combat Training (BCT) but we are unaware of any studies on suicidal behaviors that have directly compared active soldiers serving in the Regular Army versus G/R.…”

A Description of Suicides in the Army National Guard During 2007–2014 and Associated Risk Factors

“… Earlier, I offered an interpretative framework of the primary risk factors observed—explaining young age risk likely relates to issues of role identity versus confusion and established social relationships versus isolation; being male likely has to do with greater access to lethal means; and White (vs. Black) likely relates to less developed extended family support and personal resilience from historical discrimination (Griffith, ). More recently, Bryan and I have speculated increased suicides in the U.S. military likely have to do with increased vulnerabilities of millennials in combination with the circumspect background characteristics of all‐volunteer force applicants compared to the draft era inductees (Griffith & Bryan, ). …”

Suicide Attempt Characteristics Among Veterans and Active-Duty Service Members Receiving Mental Health Services: A Pooled Data Analysis

“…Large epidemiological studies like the Millennium Cohort Study (Gray et al, 2002) and Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS; Ursano et al, 2014) are in progress and have begun to elucidate the problem of military suicide at the population level. Thus far, military variables (e.g., combat deployment and associated stressors) have shown low associations with suicidal ideation and behaviors (Bryan et al, 2015; Griffith, 2012). A number of suicide risk factors have been identified from these studies (Nock et al, 2013), but many are not unique to military suicide (e.g., presence of mental illness, stressful life events, hopelessness) or are so characteristic of the military that they have minimal use in detecting risk (e.g., men, ages 17 to 29, access to lethal means).…”

“…A number of suicide risk factors have been identified from these studies (Nock et al, 2013), but many are not unique to military suicide (e.g., presence of mental illness, stressful life events, hopelessness) or are so characteristic of the military that they have minimal use in detecting risk (e.g., men, ages 17 to 29, access to lethal means). Relatively few studies have examined the role of historical variables that elevate suicide risk, despite evidence that these confer greater risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors among service members and veterans (Bryan, Bryan, Ray-Sannerud, Etienne, & Morrow, 2014; Griffith, 2012). …”