The number of military suicides dipped in 2022 as the Pentagon works on new prevention programs

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say the number of suicides among members of the military and their families dipped slightly in 2022, compared with the previous year. This decline comes as the Defense Department is trying to build prevention and treatment programs to address what’s been a steadily growing problem over the past decade. While the total number of deaths decreased overall, suicides among active-duty troops went up slightly, fueled by significant spikes in the Marine Corps and Air Force. And because the overall size of the active-duty force is smaller now, the rate of suicides per 100,000 service members inched up. U.S. officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the findings before the report’s public release.