Essay Example on One Is Too Many: Understanding Military Suicide Rates

The rate o suicide within military branches has been a severe issue of armed forces across the world in the recent past. The introduction of the concept of "One is too many" was made to assert that the situation that loss of one soldier within Ranks has significant impact and effect on the next on the same lane. Studies have shown that suicide cases within the ranks have had a massive blow to the unity and morale of soldiers within a specific judicial area (Mills-Gregg, 2019). Specifically, the attempt leads to the loss of close family members like son, daughter, mother or sometimes the father.

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Lamote (2019) in his study maintains that the increase of suicide cases within armed forces that have drastically increased in the recent past has revealed a positive percentage index of about six per cent with a possible increment if no proper remedies are provided. Between 2017 and 2018, a significant increase in the number of suicide cases has been evident for two hundred and eighty-five to three hundred and twenty-five at an approximated rate of twenty-five persons per one hundred thousand service members. However, despite the training troops and commands on how to prevent suicide cases and to provide external behavioural health services, official and administrators from different parts of the world have failed to pinpoint the leading cause of such increased prevalence rates categorically. Notably, between the three dominant armed forces components guards, active, and reserves, and guard, approximately ninety per cent of cases of suicide are shared among the enlisted personnel with the E-1s to E-4s. Similarly, out of the recorded number of suicide cases, forty per cent of the cases are associated with the active duty, thirty-five among the reservist. At the same time, the guardsmen reveal a significant fifty per cent as an outline on the DOD data. Out of the total number of the suicide cases registered in armed forces, approximately seventy per cent were carried out the use of firearms. In comparison, ninety per cent were done by weapons that are personally owned.

According to the Army, which is the largest branch in military registered the most significant and highest number of suicide cases in 2018 as compared to the next years within the active members of duty service. The three hundred cases that were reported in 2018, it was confirmed that one hundred and thirty-nine cases were from the active-duty personnel. This was twenty-tow more cases as compared to 2017. Similarly, suicide cases among Marine Corps also rose significantly from twenty to thirty per cent per one hundred thousand active members. The navy of the navy case remained the same regardless of a few examples that were reported. Contrary, the number of Air Force team dropped by one per cent per one hundred people. The issues have therefore since then pronounce a national epidemic by Mark Esper, Defense Secretary. However, in formulation the best solution, Pentagon evaluated anew initiative to help in building skills that are necessary for the s for junior soldiers before the condition overwhelms them.

The Defense Suicide Prevention Office director, Dr Karin Orvis, states factors that expose people to suicide are complex. They can range from social, biological, psychological to environmentally based on the exposure. No of them is fixed. However, the department is on a steadfast move to evaluate programs and provide promising practices that are necessary for in the civilian community. According to Myers (2019), the methods aim to ensure that suicide rates are adversely reduced, and the implementation of DOD is spread across the entire world. Similarly, The Defense Suicide Prevention department also focuses on collaborating with other public and private organizations to meet the rising demands (Vergun, 2019). Currently, the collaboration between the DOD and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention has provided the necessary hope for a better future through partnering with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors in supporting family members who have fallen victims of suicide cases.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in the case of the armed forces of suicide will still be evident in the years to come. The nature of deployment that the combat units are exposed to will continue among members as well. Before, it was only that combat-related duties among the officers in forces as the primary exposure to suicide cases. However, the notion has been corrected as studies have provided insightful information about the vice. As a victim of attempted suicide case in my seven years in forces, I have also wished it has an amicable solution to the situation. Soldiers have a hilarious lifestyle that can easily expose suicide-related cases. Therefore, it is tough to conclude that individual professionals and personalities are needed in the life of a soldier to prevent the menace. That's null and doom impossible. One is too many is a genuine concept, and I will only change my perception towards the unit not until an amicable solution is got. Overall, until soldiers are taught the essence and importance of sharing their feelings when faced with problems that might expose them to dark thoughts will the suicide cases reduce.

References

Myers, M. (2019). Active duty suicides are on the rise, as the Pentagon works on new messaging and strategy. Retrieved from https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/09/26/active-duty-suicides-are-on-the-rise-as-the-pentagon-works-on-new-messaging-and-strategy/

Mills-Gregg, D. (2019). Army Suicide Trends Have Changed in the Forever Wars Era, New Study Finds. Retrieved from https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/12/19/army-suicide-trends-have-changed-forever-wars-era-new-study-finds.html

Lamothe, D. (2019). U.S. military's suicide rate for active-duty troops up over the past five years, Pentagon says. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2019/09/26/us-militarys-suicide-rate-active-duty-troops-rises-fifth-consecutive-year-pentagon-says/

Vergun, D. (2019). DOD takes a public health approach to Suicide Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/1945016/dod-takes-3-pronged-approach-to-suicide-prevention/