Pentagon Introduces Legislation to Combat Alarming Levels of Military Suicides
If a service member self-reports a problem or seeks help, they must undergo a mental health evaluation, as mandated by the Brandon Act, which was included in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gilbert Cisneros has signed a law which aims to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues. This law allows service members and active-duty troops to seek confidential help outside the chain of command.
In 2022, the passage of the legislation was met with little progress for over a year, as the Pentagon cited it was in the process of determining the best approach to ensure the act’s requirements were fulfilled.
In a statement, Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton, who sponsored the act, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Pentagon’s bureaucracy. “Shame on the Pentagon bureaucrats who took 15 months, during which even more service members died by suicide, to make this happen,” he said. He added that the Department of Defense “still has a lot of work to do to curb the shockingly high number of suicides among our young men and women who serve, but this is a big step in the right direction.”
The Brandon Caserta Anti-Hazing and Bullying Law was passed in June 2018 in memory of the 21-year-old sailor who tragically took his own life at US Naval Air Station Norfolk. Brandon had confided in his parents and friends that he was suffering from continual bullying and hazing while serving in the Navy.
Teri Caserta, mother of Brandon, is the leader of an organization that is striving to put an end to suicide deaths amongst active-duty troops and veterans. According to her, Brandon had informed his commanders that he was dealing with depression, however, they did not take any action.
Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat, has been working with Brandon Caserta’s family for more than a year to urge the Department of Defense to pass the Brandon Act, which will provide service members with greater access to mental health resources.
Sen. Kaine expressed his satisfaction with the Department of Defense for finally implementing a new bill in honor of the Caserta’s son, Brandon, who tragically passed away under heartbreaking conditions. The Casertas, having been devastated by the loss of their son, have since decided to use this tragedy to assist other service members.
According to official reports, the number of US service members who died by suicide in 2021 was 519, a slight decrease from 582 in the previous year. However, this number has increased steadily over the last decade.
Lester Martinez-Lopez, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, stated on Friday that service members will be able to ask for a mental health assessment for any reason, once the program is put into action, by initiating a referral through a commanding officer or supervisor.
The commander or supervisor of the service member must refer them to a mental health provider, while adhering to the applicable laws and DoD policy, and protecting the confidentiality of the service member to the greatest extent possible.
In March, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declared the formation of a separate committee to assess the military’s mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.
From 2015 to 2020, the Pentagon recorded an increase of over 40% in suicides among active-duty service members. In 2020 alone, the numbers rose by 15%.
