Suicide deaths among US troops up 15% in 2020 from 2019

In 2020, 580 troops took their lives compared with 504 from previous year

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Suicides among US troops increased 15% in 2020 from 2019, according to a Pentagon report set to be released Thursday.

The figures confirmed by the USA TODAY newspaper with congressional and Defense Department sources show 580 troops took their lives compared with 504 in 2019.

Most troops who committed suicide were young enlisted men, a congressional aide told the American newspaper.

In 2018, 543 troops died by suicide.

A spike has been reported in suicides among soldiers in Alaska, with six suspected suicides in nearly half of this year.

According to USA TODAY, the Army spent more than $200 million in recent years to prevent suicides on bases in Alaska.

"Suicide rates in civilian populations are rising, and the military community is not immune to these challenges," said Dr. Karin Orvis, director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, in last year's report.

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