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WASHINGTON — Military suicides have increased by as much as 20% this year compared to with same period in 2019, and some incidents of violent behavior have spiked as service members struggle under COVID-19, war-zone deployments, national disasters and civil unrest.
While the data is incomplete and causes of suicide are complex, Army and Air Force officials say they believe the pandemic is adding stress to an already-strained force.
And senior Army leaders — who say they’ve seen about a 30% jump in active-duty suicides so far this year — told The Associated Press that they are looking at shortening combat deployments. Such a move would be part of a broader effort to make the wellbeing of soldiers and their families the Army’s top priority, overtaking combat readiness and weapons modernization. https://www.stripes.com/news/us/military-suicides-are-up-as-much-as-20-amid-covid-crisis-1.646595
| The COVID-19 pandemic may amplify feelings of loneliness, stress and anxiety for veterans in crisis. Any veteran experiencing a mental health crisis can reach out to the Veterans Crisis Line by: |
