Recent analysis by Military.com reveals alarming disparities in suicide rates among racial minority groups in the military and veteran communities. According to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Defense Department, service members and veterans of Asian American and Pacific Islander descent face a suicide risk 350% higher than the national average. Black and Hispanic veterans and troops experience rates twice the national average.
Patricia B. Glenn, senior clinical director at Stop Soldier Suicide, points to sociopolitical factors and historical racism as potential contributors to this disparity. The increased suicide rates among minority service members have risen by 57% on average since 2017, compared to just 6% for their white counterparts.
Retired U.S. Army Maj. Art Murguia, who identifies as Chicano, shares his experiences with stigma and racial bias in seeking mental health treatment. He highlights the cultural barriers within the Latino/Hispanic community that discourage seeking help.
A 2017 DoD survey found that nearly one in three Black service members reported experiencing racial discrimination or harassment, with AAPI and Hispanic service members also reporting higher rates than their white peers. These experiences correlated with lower levels of readiness and trust in leadership.
The DoD and VA have only recently begun studying the role of demographic factors in behavioral health outcomes among troops. Dr. Lindsey Monteith, lead author of a VA study on AANHPI veterans, cites discrimination, harmful stereotypes, and stigma as contributing factors to increased suicide rates in this group.
Experts call for more equitable hiring practices, tailored treatments, and efforts to identify barriers to treatment for minority service members and veterans.
See “Service Members and Vets Belonging to Racial Minority Groups Face Disproportionately High Suicide Rates” (February 28, 2024)
