In the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress authorized an independent study panel to better understand the magnitude of the problem.
Despite more than a decade of efforts to prevent military suicides, the numbers continue to grow, with a 16 per cent increase expected in 2020. Congress ordered an independent review committee in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act to acquire a greater understanding of the magnitude of the problem, and the Pentagon stated on Tuesday that it would start working on it. The commission will investigate suicide prevention and behavioral health programs across the services, with site visits, focus groups, interviews, and a confidential survey of troops conducted at each location visited, similar to how an independent review commission on sexual assault conducted its work last year. Despite having better
access to mental health services than ever before, some military members struggle to overcome their apprehensions about getting treatment, while others face lengthy wait times on their bases.
