In fact, more US active-duty military are dying from suicide than in combat in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), as was also the case with the Iraq War (2003-2011). Based on historical data from the DOD, VA (Veterans Administration), and other government sources, more than 114,000 veterans and active military have died from suicide since Sept. 11, 2001.
According an article published by One America News Network on September 27, 2019, "The suicide rate for active duty military members has reached a record high...according to a recent report from the Defense Department, which revealed suicides have been rising at an average of six-percent annually over the past five years. Most recently, the number of service members who took their own life jumped from 285 to 325 between 2017 and 2018. The Pentagon report applies to service members in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps."
However, apparently the DOD and VA leaders have recently ceased their regular, scheduled disclosures of suicide data to the public, which effectively eliminates transparency on the problem of high suicide rates among active military and veterans.
Since this article was first written, the latest statistics for 2020 only show the suicide rate getting worse. According to AP News, "Military suicides have increased by as much as 20% this year compared to the 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." (see article).
If you are in the military, feeling depressed or considering suicide, don't take your own life. There is hope for you today. You are precious in God's sight. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die on the cross for you, in order to pay the price for all your sins.
He did this for you, so that you could be forgiven and not have to suffer eternity in hell. But you need to repent of your sin and believe in Him to be saved. Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Act 2:38)
No matter what has happened to you, God still loves you and wants you to live. No matter what you have done, God still loves you and holds out the offer of eternal life in heaven to you. It's a gift, but you must receive it through repentance and faith in Christ.
If you end your life, it will not solve anything or end your troubles. If you kill yourself, you are committing murder, which is a sin, since God has commanded us saying, "You shall not murder" (Exo 20:13). Mercy is available only while you are on earth. You cannot repent or receive mercy after you die. So don't let this be the last thing you do, or else you will perish. Why should you perish? Repent and live!
The answer to this suicide epidemic in the military is not that there needs to be more focus on mental health. The answer is Jesus Christ. He is the Life. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (Joh 14:6). There is no other way to God the Father except through Him.
The emptiness you feel, the hurt, and the depression inside cannot be truly healed any other way. He also said, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (Joh 10:9-10). The abundant life you long for is only found in Jesus Christ.
I also want to mention that scientific studies have shown that anti-depressants cause patients to have suicidal thoughts. This has been reported by Dr. Andrew Kaufman, MD, and he has a video about it on Youtube. With one of his own patients, who was having suicidal thoughts, he took them off of the anti-depressant medication, and their suicidal thoughts stopped. You can do your own research on this, but this could save your life. He said that the research has actually shown that these anti-depressants don't do patients any good. If there is any question about this in your mind, then you should seek to verify that with unbiased, objective, scientific research.
If you are a Christian serving in the military, I have not forgotten you. One way that I would like to offer to serve you is by pointing you to some resources that will encourage you in your walk with Christ. One of those is my collection of Christian articles at Writing for the Master. In particular, I recommend Eternal Destinations, Seeking the Lord, Working God's Way, and Be Fruitful and Multiply. If you are a Christian woman serving in the military, please read Women in the Military. Another way I can assist you is with our discipleship school, which is an online, three-year, distance education opportunity called Doulos Training School. Please have a look at it and prayerfully consider whether that is something the Lord would have you do.
If you are considering suicide, please talk to a Christian chaplain or message me through the contact form on this blog. Would you please do that?
And if you are serving in the military, but are not a follower of Christ, or you are gone astray from the Lord (backslidden), I want to tell you that He loves you and died for you. He shed his blood for you on the cross, and is calling you to follow Him. Repent and turn to Him now! I recommend reading my testimony of how I came to know Christ in the military, in my article, The Truth Set Me Free! There are also several other excellent testimonies at Testimonies from Budapest and Eternal Destinations. Below you will find an invitation to know Him personally as Lord and Savior.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical practitioner and nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice.
And if you are serving in the military, but are not a follower of Christ, or you are gone astray from the Lord (backslidden), I want to tell you that He loves you and died for you. He shed his blood for you on the cross, and is calling you to follow Him. Repent and turn to Him now! I recommend reading my testimony of how I came to know Christ in the military, in my article, The Truth Set Me Free! There are also several other excellent testimonies at Testimonies from Budapest and Eternal Destinations. Below you will find an invitation to know Him personally as Lord and Savior.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical practitioner and nothing in this article should be construed as medical advice.
Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "All in the Name of Love" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. His artwork is available at inspired-art. Quote from AP News copyright Associated Press, all rights reserved.
Author's Note: I also recommend reading The Lord Healed My Backsliding, The Truth Set Me Free!, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Onward Christian Soldier, Women in the Military, Bearing Arms, Demonology 201, New Age-New World Order, Keeping a Good Conscience, The Evil Spirit of Alcohol, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Tattoos and Body Piercing, Drifting Away, The Cost of Discipleship, Costly Grace, The Origin of Sin, Satan, and Secular Music, The Kingdom of Darkness, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Is Obedience Optional?, Restored Truth, Aim for Perfection, The Straight and Narrow Path, and Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Six Divine Revelations. Some poems by my daughter that may encourage you are Our Sympathizer, The Meaning of Life, Going Through the Valley, We Want to be Accepted, and Nothing Will Separate. You are invited to view my collection of blogs at Writing for the Master.
Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus. Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?
“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15). He preached that we must repent and believe.
Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International. He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org
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