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Introduction
Between 2001-2007 the United States Armed Forces veteran suicide rate had been on the
decline (Kemp & Bossarte, 2012) despite continual combat operations across two war fronts,
repeated long-term duration deployment orders, and the heaviest losses of life since the Vietnam
War. The rate of veteran suicide, despite Americas withdraw from operations in Afghanistan and
Iraq did not begin to spike until 2008. The objective of this problem solution paper is to
investigate why, introduce contributing factors worthy of future investigation while also offering
Background
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 2
Since the 2012 release of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Mental Health
Services, Suicide Prevention Program, Suicide Data Report (Kemp & Bossarte, 2012), much
attention, legislation, resources, and research has been directed toward efforts to understand what
had caused the sharp increase in veteran suicide. Researchers had hypothesized that combat
deployments and combat related moral injury were primary factors yet their studies continued to
demonstrate no reliable correlation and actually showed a decreased rate of suicide amongst
veterans that have deployed (JAMA, 2014; Kang, Bullman, Smolenski, Skopp, Gahm & Reger,
2014; Reger, Smolenski, Skopp, Metzger-Abamukang, Kang, Bullman, Perdue, & Gahm, 2015;
Leardmann, Powell, Smith, Smith, Boyko, & Hoge, 2013; Bush, Reger, Luxton, Skopp, Kinn,
Smolenski, & Gahm, 2013). While much work has been done within the mental health arena to
treat Post Traumatic Stress in veterans (Thompson, 2016; VA, 2016, Kemp & Bosarte, 2012)
what remains a mystery is why. Why did the Department of Defense lose so many of her service
members and veterans at such a staggering rate after 2008, and not prior? This is the question
this paper seeks to answer while also providing forward thinking suggestions so future
generations may avoid repeating the same apparent errors of social discipline. Errors that have
arguably corrupted our moral compass leading to the precipitation of spiritual malfeasance and
US Suicide Trends
Veteran Suicides
A trend that has interestingly been ignored in most of the media and press coverage over
the veteran suicide epidemic is that the rate of veteran suicide had actually been on the decline
since the start of the global war on terror following the attacks of September 11th, 2001 and had
reached a low point in 2007 (Kemp & Bossarte, 2012; VA, 2016). It wasnt until 2008 that the
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 3
sudden uptick in suicide rates appeared, peeking to 22 per day in 2009 (Kemp & Bossarte, 2012)
and reversing the trend downward to 20 a day in 2014 (VA, 2016). Interestingly, recent research
has found that 50% of veteran soldier suicides were committed by those that had previously
Another statistic of interest is the similar trend for the civilian side of the US population,
which also showed a sharp uptick in suicide rates from 34,598 in 2007 increasing to 36,035 in
2008 and continuing upward to 42,773 in 2014 (Curtin, Warner, & Hedegaard, 2016; CDC,
2015). Unlike our veterans, the civilian suicide rate is still on the rise.
Manpower Crisis
(OIF/OEF) 2002-2003, the Marine Corps initiated an aggressive recruiting campaign that sought
to expand the USMC from approximately 174,000 to 202,000 (Eckardt, 2017). This expansion
was unsustainable as funding cuts took ahold following the 2008 U.S. economic collapse. As a
result the operating budgets began to diminish significantly. The Marine Corps was reduced to a
force of around 174,000, a number not seen since 2002 (Eckardt, 2017). Units were shuttered,
budgets were cut while unprecedented actions such as Staff Sergeant Retention Boards,
Voluntary Enlisted Early Release Program (VEERP) and Temporary Early Retirement Authority
(TERA) programs were initiated (Eckardt, 2017) to meet the cost reduction requirements from
these cuts. Additionally, this downsizing created unanticipated second-order effects (Gertz,
2015). This is a vital observation as it provides a timeline correlating the U.S. economy with
In early January, 2015 retired General and current Secretary of Defense, James Mattis,
provided a succinct articulation of the impact of budget cuts on both force readiness and troop
morale during a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting stating that no foe in the field
can wreak such havoc on our security that mindless sequestration has done. Going
further by stating that the cuts in spending are costing military readiness and long-
More recently, Mattis exclaimed that we are not giving our troops the funding, training or
equipment they need to accomplish missions safely and effectively. Moreover, that the United
States military, as currently structured and funded, is not ready to defend the nation against the
Reductions in funding has impacted every component of the Armed Forces, but what the
troops see in this regard is an unwillingness to provide them even the most modest
accommodations that are up to date and serviceable. Building and renovation contracts that were
approved and scheduled too often become victims of shrinking budgets when promised funds are
ultimately not delivered (Eckardt, 2017). This compounds the problem as maintenance issues in
current facilities accumulate, creating a backlog that facility-maintenance then claims is too large
for them to rectify in a timely manner. Additional problems are encountered when facilitys
maintenance is reluctant, or even refuses, to address current issues due to lack of funding. Yet
operational units are still required to house their Marines in these unacceptable conditions
(Eckardt, 2017).
Outsourcing
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 5
With the budget cuts, decision-making capacity on what gets fixed and what does not has
been outsourced to civilians who are not even stakeholders in ensuring the welfare of our troops.
Budget reductions and unaccountable facilities maintenance supervisory staff have been primary
contributors to the negative perceptions and opinions shared by Marines of all ranks (Eckardt,
2017).
Equipment Overuse
Overuse leads to accelerated degradation. Constant demand means that equipment often
cannot be taken out of service for modifications mandated by technical directives. It also hastens
the life cycle of equipment that then requires substantial maintenance to be ready for service
(Eckardt, 2017). A good example of this can be observed in the USMC aviation community,
which struggles to maintain readiness levels. Despite shrinking operational budgets, the demand
for units to deploy has not stopped. Compounding the issue is the fact that the aviation industry
is transitioning their production and maintenance efforts to support anticipated new aircraft for
the future (Eckardt, 2017). Fewer companies are making parts for older designs, the demand for
spare parts has increased and needed parts have become scarce. With greater demand and fewer
suppliers the price increases exponentially. In an era of decreasing budgets this does not bode
well for readiness (Eckardt, 2017), simultaneously adding downwards pressure on the troops
Troop Burnout
Since the onset of OIF/OEF there has been significant discourse on the impacts of
continual deployments on military personnel. These concerns are myriad, difficult to mitigate
and require nonstandard thinking to address sufficiently (Eckardt, 2017). General Mattis has
recently stated that we continue to ask our troops to do more while giving them less (Venable,
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 6
2016). Such demands in light of funding cuts have had noticeable impacts on both readiness and
morale. Such impacts have been reported by both, officer and enlisted senior leadership (Eckardt,
Stress. We know that repeated and long duration stress has very real and measurable
consequences which impact each of us across biopsychosocial spheres impacting our health,
brain, development and behavior (Applegate & Shapiro, 2005; Badenoch, 2008; Cozolino,
2010). Often times the result of sustained stress manifests itself in very predictable behavioral
outcomes including but not limited to depleted immune functions, rage, recklessness, substance
abuse, anger, anxiety, and depression (Cozolino, 2010; Applegate & Shapiro, 2005; Badenoch,
2008). Such behavioral outcomes often lead to domestic violence, alcohol and or drug related
incidents, and measurable reductions in individual conduct quality and job proficiency. The
result in many cases leads to Non-Judicial or Court Marshall administrative processes, which can
lead to early separation from service ahead of contractual terms. Such administrative procedures
Discharge Status. In the cases of these types of less than honorable separations, newly
discharged veterans lose access to benefits and resources. Benefits like the GI Bill, VA healthcare
benefits, and disability compensation for injuries incurred while in service. The impact of a less
To begin with, the veteran is shamefully severed from his unit and command, loses a
steady paycheck, medical care, housing and food subsidies as well as access to mental health
treatment for the underlying symptoms that were arguably the root cause of his or her behavior.
Simultaneously, the underlying symptoms remain present and untreated. Further, worsened by
the loss of camaraderie coupled with disgrace, embarrassment and a loss of sense of purpose and
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 7
self-efficacy. All of which are primary elements, which contribute to the choice of suicide over
life.
Evidence. Interestingly, this is also closely correlated with the data (Reger, et al., 2015),
which shows the highest rates of suicide are amongst veterans that served less than four years
and who did not receive an honorable discharge. Furthermore, additional data demonstrates that
70% of veteran suicides were carried out by those that did not use VA services. Moreover, those
that utilized the VA were less likely to commit suicide (VA, 2016; Thompson, 2016). However,
due to discharge status, many veterans that needed resources were not eligible for them. This
appears to place focus on both the root cause and avenues for a solution to the suicide epidemic.
US Economic Trends
On September 29th, 2008 the Down Jones Industrial Average fell 777.68 points marking
the largest single day drop in history. The United States economy began crumbling in what
became known as the great recession. Much research and reflection specific to the
precipitating factors and consequences have been published (Archarya & Matthew, 2009;
Obstfeld & Rogoff, 2009; Crotty, 2009; Kotz, 2009) detailing the many mechanisms that are
A convergence of information has manifested placing the fault upon a myriad of factors
which include: sub-prime lending, a housing bubble, easy credit conditions, fraudulent loan
innovation and complexity, incorrect pricing of risk, a shadow banking system, commodities
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 8
boom, faulty economic forecasting, and systemic crisis (Archarya & Matthew, 2009; Obstfeld &
Each of the factors listed above have their own respective dissertations. But they are not
the focus of this work. However, one component, which binds them all, is money. The
perversion of money, wealth, and greed, throughout millennia has formulated the underpinnings
of humanitys greatest sins and suffering at the moral, social, and spiritual realms regardless of
Consequences
Housing. As a result, the housing sector of the economy was crushed, housing values
were decimated and foreclosures spiked across the country. Tens of millions of Americans lost
their homes. (Archarya & Matthew, 2009; Obstfeld & Rogoff, 2009; Crotty, 2009; Kotz, 2009).
Unemployment. The United States seasonally adjusted unemployment rate soared from
6.1% in September 2008 to a high of 10% a year later. This figure would not return to the pre-
Labor force. Additionally, the U.S. Labor Force Participation rate, which had been at
66% in September of 2008, has never recovered and remains below 63%. To put that in
perspective, the current U.S. labor force participation rate is as low now as it was in the late
Depression. Rates of depression in the United States rose from 5.4% in 2006 to 7.6%
Hypertension. Rates of hypertension among adults aged 20 and over that had been on
the decline leading up to the economic collapse began to rise (United States, 2015).
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 9
Suicide. As discussed earlier, the rise in suicide rates for both veteran and civilian
populations also correlates to the timing and repercussions of the economic collapse.
The Problem
The totality of information above appear to demonstrate a correlation between the factors
surrounding the 2008 economic crisis, the ramifications of the crisis across the Armed Forces
and the epidemic incidence of suicide amongst both veterans and civilians. Furthermore the data
provided in the cited studies appears to disconnect both combat trauma and deployments from
the list of predictive factors impacting probability of suicide. Moreover, the studies have
demonstrated that combat and deployment have the opposite impact based on the rates observed
in each of the data sets. Specifically, those who have served in combat were less likely to kill
themselves even though they had a higher probability of PTSD diagnosis. On the basis of these
repeated observations, it is feasible that war, moral injury and PTSD are not to blame, but rather
What our society has endured is the consequence of revulsive and obscene desire for
money. It has created disgust, and hostility towards the institutions that propagated the disgrace
of politicians, hypocrites, thieves and corporate executives while leaving families outraged and
in horror. The manifestation of the consequences resulted in a state of emptiness and destruction.
The anguish, misery and loneliness which followed has left its indelible mark on our society
(Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9:5-11, King James Version), none more visible than the lives lost and
The Solution
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 10
Ironically, as we have learned from the many studies and research detailed throughout
this work, combat is not the primary cause of veteran suicide. Having presented this argument, it
becomes plausible to consider that combat veterans may actually hold the secret to ending
veteran suicide.
Neurobiology
Perhaps the solution to this epidemic rest in our brains resilient and inherent ability to
heal. Research demonstrates that stress also builds resilience (Cozolino, 2010; Applegate &
Shapiro, 2005; Badenoch, 2008). It is due to our brains neuroplasticity whereby Neurogenesis
occurs within the regions of the brain associated with ongoing learning (amygdala, hippocampus
and frontal cortex) enabling them to continue to branch out, expand and grow in reaction to new
Nordbog et. al., 1998; Gould, Reeves, Graziano, & Gross, 1999; Gould, Tanapat, Hastings &
Shors, 1999; Gross, 2000; Purves & Voyvodic, 1987). It is precisely this type of change in neural
coding that may enable our war fighters to thrive upon their return home while simultaneously
With so much research being directed toward the understanding and treatment of PTSD,
another phenomenon has been occurring, Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). While giving a recent
speech General James Mattis articulated both the phenomenon and our societies exaltation of
victimhood:
If you assume that there is something wrong with people, if you do it long
posttraumatic growth, where you come out of a situation like that (combat) and
you actually feel kinder toward your fellow man, fellow women; that youre
actually a better husband, father; you actually have a closer relationship with your
God. You do not have to go around apologizing as if there is some rage in you.
Although if we tell our veterans enough that this is whats wrong with them, they
may actually start believing it. I would just say there is one misperception of our
veterans, and that is they are somehow damaged goods. I dont buy it and I think
that that kind of self-pity while victimhood in America is exalted; I dont think
result of struggle with highly challenging life circumstances (Jayawickreme, & Blackie, 2014).
Broad research is now available to support the theory that traumatic life events function as
catalysts for positive life change (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1995; Jayawickreme, & Blackie, 2014 ).
Access
Veterans that have been discharged under less than honorable conditions should
automatically be mandated to initiate pre discharge mental health interventions and or VA based
mental health services. While this would result in a larger than current budget expenditure, it
would assist those that have lost access to other resources through corrective evidenced based
mental health modalities that have been shown to reduce suicide rates through the VA.
Where the situation dictates, based on initial evaluation, further consideration for other
VA based resources should be made available for veterans discharged for reasons that can be
Veteran Suicide Epidemic: What Really Caused it? 12
linked to the aforementioned domino effect caused by funding cuts that were imposed following
As of March 8th, 2017, VA Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin announced the intention of the
VA to expand mental health care access to former service members with other-than-honorable
(OTH) discharges and in crisis. In his testimony he reiterated the recent data that suicide among
veterans who do not use VA care is occurring at a greater rate than veterans who use VA care
(VA, 2017).
Through the above mentioned mandatory mental health screenings, other mitigating
circumstances may be discovered that would make the veteran eligible for consideration of a
discharge upgrade to honorable status making him or her again eligible for the variety of
resources that have been shown to be successful. Resources such as health care, education and
disability compensation benefits that provide avenues for educational, financial and personal
success, which in turn have positive impacts on an individuals overall sense of self-worth.
Conclusion
This work has sought to provide both critical analysis of recent data and research as well
as the inclusion of potentially correlated factors that appear to have been ignored respective to
veteran suicide. It is the hope of this work that future generations may avoid repeating the same
apparent errors of social discipline. Further, that the pain and suffering caused throughout and
following the 2008 economic crisis may serve to redirect our collective moral and ethical
compass towards more fruitful endeavors, which seek to improve humanity for all. Especially
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