“Even with the attention of the leadership, I think all the services are feeling it,” Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos said after a speech at the National Press Club on Tuesday, adding, “This year… is going to be a tough year for all the services.”
Amos further noted that the Marine Corps has taken action, including using interactive videos and other measures, to cut the suicide rates in its rank.
This is while July saw eight suicides in the Marine Corps, up from six in June. That brought the number of suicides in the service to 32 for the first seven months of 2012, matching the total for all of last year.
Earlier this month, the US Army reported a total of 26 suicides among its active-duty soldiers in July, which is more than twice the figure released for June.
According to US Defense Department statistics, as of June, the Pentagon had recorded 154 suicides across all the military services, a rate of about one suicide per day.
Last month, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta referred to the suicides as “one of the most frustrating problems” that he had come across in his role.
MR/HSN/HJL