A 19-year-old sailor from the U.S. Navy fell overboard from the USS Abraham Lincoln on August 3, apparently attempting suicide.
Fortunately, he survived, but now he faces disciplinary charges, as indicated in documents reviewed by MS NOW.
This incident brings attention to a pressing debate among military health experts and government analysts: Are the military and the federal government paying enough attention to the mental health struggles of active service members before they transition to veteran status?
For years, discussions about suicide among military personnel have largely focused on combat veterans, particularly in relation to PTSD caused by intense deployments and the emotional aftermath of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. However, it’s crucial to recognize that those currently serving also face significant challenges.
In 2024 alone, 471 military personnel took their own lives, including 302 from the Active Component, which had a suicide rate of 23.8 per 100,000.
Interestingly, the issue extends beyond the battlefield.
A 2015 study examining over 1.3 million veterans who served during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts found that deployment itself didn’t significantly raise the suicide risk. In fact, when controlling for various factors, combat veterans showed a lower suicide risk compared to non-deployed veterans.
Instead, broader aspects of military life seem to contribute to these tragic outcomes.
The Defense Suicide Prevention Office’s annual report indicated that among Active Component members who died by suicide in 2023, 44% had relationship problems, 29% faced legal issues, 24% experienced workplace difficulties, and 12% struggled with financial matters. Furthermore, 42% had at least one mental health disorder, including depression, anxiety, or PTSD.
One service member, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed, “You’re thousands of miles from home, you’re not getting enough sleep, you might be grappling with a relationship or financial issues, and you’re trying to adapt to a completely different way of life — all without ever seeing combat.”
Between 2020 and 2024, over 560,000 active-duty personnel received at least one mental health diagnosis, with anxiety and adjustment disorders being prevalent. Data from the Pentagon revealed that from 2014 to 2019, 883 active-duty Army personnel died by suicide, in stark contrast to just 96 deaths from combat, highlighting that soldiers are significantly more likely to take their own lives than to die in battle.
In such high-pressure environments, effective leadership can be a matter of life or death. One enlisted soldier shared, “When commanders see their soldiers merely as parts of a machine, prioritizing metrics over their human needs, it creates extreme psychological strain. The distinction between a tough assignment and an unbearable one often relies heavily on the commander.”
Lack of empathetic leadership can be a breaking point, as another soldier noted: “Soldiers get exhausted. They get worn out from long hours, toxic leadership, and being treated as mere numbers. They just want their humanity recognized. I can’t help but think about how uplifting it could be if an officer simply organized something small, like ordering pizza or drinks for their troops.”
This soldier also pointed out that military leadership practices are deeply entrenched, leading new officers to replicate the rigid and unyielding environments they experienced during their training. When compassionate understanding is systematically trained out of leaders, a culture of indifference often takes root. Another anonymous service member highlighted a disconnect between generations.
“Leadership doesn’t seem to know any other way of doing things. Whether they came through West Point or basic training, they were treated similarly, so what else could we expect from them?” they commented. “There needs to be genuine policy changes… but these will remain lifeless words on paper until non-commissioned officers and junior leaders can learn to blend basic human empathy with discipline.”
