SAN DIEGO - Young men in the military may be twice as likely to die by suicide than their civilian counterparts.
The Voice of San Diego reports that in 2020 the suicide rate for active-duty military men aged 17 to 25 was roughly 46-point-one per one-hundred-thousand, which is 80 percent higher than that of civilian men in the same age group. The outlet also noted an increase in military suicides in San Diego County, from five in 2017 to 16 in 2020.
The Department of Defense has acknowledged the increase in military suicides in recent reports. While military branches have made mental health counseling a priority some service members may not reach out for help for fear of shame or because their peers and superiors don't support it.
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