18 Aug 2020
Military.com | By Kathy Roth-Douquet

Kathy Roth-Douquet is the CEO of Blue Star Families and a Marine Corps spouse.

This past June marked the two-year anniversary of the tragic death of Brandon Caserta, a United States Navy petty officer who took his own life at his base in Norfolk, Virginia.

Unfortunately, suicide is not a new phenomenon among active-duty service members. But there are actions that lawmakers can take to help those struggling with mental health issues — and work to prevent future tragedy.

According to the most recent U.S. Department of Defense Annual Suicide Report (ASR) from 2019, Caserta was one of 325 active-duty service members and one of 68 sailors who died by suicide in 2018. The report also found a five-year increase in the suicide rate for active-duty troops — jumping from 18.5 to 24.8 suicides per 100,000 members. We have yet to see the 2019 data, but we mustn’t wait on numbers to act.

After his death, Caserta’s parents and friends discovered personal notes in which Brandon attributed his suicide to persistent hazing and bullying from members and leaders of his Navy helicopter squadron. Brandon’s parents, Patrick and Teri, believe their son saw no options for getting medical care or mental health services, given that his chain of command was aware of the bullying and was allegedly even part of their son’s harassment.

Read entire article: https://www.military.com/daily-news/opinions/2020/08/18/anonymity-could-help-mitigate-military-suicide.html