Suicides among U.S. service members rose 15% in 2020 despite Pentagon initiatives to prevent them, according to an upcoming report.
Congressional and Defense Department sources indicate that 580 troops took their own lives in 2020, compared to 504 in the previous year.
The figures were reported by USA Today, which first reported the increase. The Pentagon is set to release the full figures Thursday.
Suicides among troops had decreased between 2018 and 2019 before ramping up in 2020. There were 543 reported suicides in the services in 2018.
Young enlisted men were most susceptible to dying by suicide, according to a congressional aide. Troops stationed in Alaska were also more susceptible, despite Army efforts to improve quality of life at its installations in the state.