Army Special Operators Seek to Reduce Suicide with ‘Bottom-Led’ Approach – By Lauren C. Williams (Defense One) / Jan 17, 2023
Units have been ordered to develop anti-suicide efforts based on the USASOC’s new strategy.
Suicide deaths have increased over the past five years among the elite troops of Army’s Special Operations Command, or USASOC, so the command is making changes to better support soldiers and their families. The results could shape how other parts of the military deal with the problem.
“We got to get in front of people and say, ‘This lifestyle is challenging; you’re going to need some help along the way, whether it’s a medical doctor, the mental piece…just to perform better’,” Maj. Gen. Patrick Roberson, the deputy commander for USASOC at Fort Bragg, told reporters Wednesday. “You can be the toughest guy in the world. You’re gonna hurt yourself at some point.”
The command has about 36,000 soldiers, the vast majority of whom are on active duty, and they represent more than half of the military’s special operations forces. In 2022, USASOC reported 18 suicide deaths, up from six in 2017 and 12 in 2018.
As of Sept. 30, the Army reported 195 confirmed or suspected suicide deaths across all components. The Pentagon has not yet released its final pan-military quarterly report for 2022.
