According to reports in 2020, 385 service members in the US military committed suicide, which is a significant increase from the 326 similar cases reported by the Pentagon for 2018.
"I am deeply concerned about the suicide rate not just here but across the military," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during a visit to Illson Air Force Base in Alaska.
Since December 30, at least six soldiers have died in a possible suicide in Alaska.
He added: One case of suicide is too many. While we are working hard to address this problem, we have much more work to do.
According to the US Department of Defense, stress factors for soldiers include the unpredictability of life in the military.
An unnamed official also pointed to increasingly aggressive demands from commanders for more troops, largely because of China's growing influence.
Soldiers stationed in Alaska face harsh weather conditions, social and geographic isolation, as well as frequent training and deployment schedules. Soldiers, along with the rest of the state's civilian population, also face high living costs, prevalent alcohol abuse, and sleep disturbances.
During a recent trip to Illson Air Force Base, Austin urged the military to reduce the stigma of seeking help for mental health issues.
Yousufi
