Suicide on the rise among veterans Published Aug. 17, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Susan Moreno 11th Wing Public Affairs BOLLING AFB, D.C. -- The Department of Veterans Affairs issued a report recently saying that suicide among military veterans is on the rise. It's estimated that about 5,000 veterans commit suicide every year, with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans being 35 percent more likely to commit suicide than the general population. VA statistics also show that more than 250 military veterans who left active duty after Sept. 11, 2001 committed suicide between 2002 and 2006. "Suicide is a very serious, very touchy subject," said Chaplain (Capt.) Richard Compton, 11th Wing chaplain. "There are so many variables that make a person believe that suicide is the only answer." The Army announced recently that their suicide rate is higher now than it has been in the last 20 years, attributable in great part to deployment stress, while the Marine Corps reports that it has also seen a steady increase in suicides, due mostly to failed relationships. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in the Navy, where the suicide rate has remained roughly steady over the past four years. Since the beginning of 2009, 16 active duty Airmen have taken their own lives, compared to 38 in 2008. Most troops already belong to high-risk demographics; suicide is the second leading cause of death among Americans age 18-24, the age group most closely corresponding to the junior enlisted ranks of E1-E4, according to VA statistics. Most people who commit suicide exhibit warning signs beforehand, such as giving away possessions, performing poorly at work or school, withdrawing from family and friends, acting recklessly or appearing depressed or sad most of the time. "My job is to help these people understand that they have support," said Chaplain Compton, "I also try to help them realize that there are important people in their lives who also want to see them get help." There are several tools at the disposal of these distressed servicemembers; the mental health clinic, chaplain's office, family advocacy, the Airman and Family Readiness Center and military family life consultants, to name a few. "When someone comes to me and says they're thinking about suicide, I try to find out what's making them feel like death is the only option," Chaplain Compton said. "I try to help them verbalize their feelings and their thoughts, because putting their thoughts into words gives the situation a whole different dynamic." In addition to the array of resources available to Airmen and their families, a hotline specifically geared toward military servicemembers was launched in July 2007. The VA suicide prevention hotline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Hotline callers are prompted to "please press 1 now" if they are military members or if calling about a military member. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is staffed by trained mental health professionals. A recent VA statement reports that since Oct. 1, 2008, an average of three hotline callers per day have identified themselves as being active duty servicemembers and that more than 2,600 veterans have received help after calling the hotline. Experts say threats or talk of suicide should always be taken seriously, and that the situation should never be handled alone; a suicidal person needs immediate help from qualified mental health professionals. For more information, call the chaplain's office at (202) 767-5900 or after hours (202) 767-4011; the Airman and Family Readiness Center at (202) 767-0450; or the base mental health clinic at (202) 767-0611. Andrews Airmen can reach the Malcolm Grow Medical Center mental health clinic at (240) 857 9680, the Airman Family Readiness Center at (240) 857 7087 and the chaplain's office at (240) 857 2111.