Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    The Suicide Epidemic in America's Armed Forces

    Last week, the Associated Press reported some daunting statistics : In the first 155 days of this year, there were 154 suicides among active troops in the US military. Veterans are killing themselves at the rate of one every 80 minutes, for a total greater than the combat deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq combined.

    • rss
    • Share
    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Last week, the Associated Press reported some daunting statistics: In the first 155 days of this year, there were 154 suicides among active troops in the US military. Veterans are killing themselves at the rate of one every 80 minutes, for a total greater than the combat deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. The Pentagon has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to find out why. Are ten years of multiple deployments taking a tragic toll? Is it the warrior culture? We talk with the widow of a veteran who took his own life and others who are looking for answers.

    National Suicide Prevention Hotline: offers 24/7 free and confidential, nationwide network of crisis centers. Veterans can press 1 with confidentiality and privacy

    800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) or www.SuicidePreventionLifeline.org

    Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors:

    800-959-TAPS (800-959-8277) or

    taps.org

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Military Suicides on the Rise
    1. 0:00Anti-Putin Protest Gathers Despite Pressure
    2. 7:08The Suicide Epidemic in America's Armed ForcesYou’re reading this
    3. 39:09Conversation with Gail Collins
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Caitlin Shamberg

      KCRW

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Anna Scott

      Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

    • KCRW placeholder

      Lata Pandya

      Assistant Producer, To the Point/Which Way, LA?

    • KCRW placeholder

      Yochi Dreazen

      Foreign editor for Vox

    • KCRW placeholder

      Kim Ruocco

      Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

    • KCRW placeholder

      David Rudd

      National Center for Veterans Studies

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Military Suicides on the Rise
    1. 0:00Anti-Putin Protest Gathers Despite Pressure
    2. 7:08The Suicide Epidemic in America's Armed ForcesYou’re reading this
    3. 39:09Conversation with Gail Collins
    Back to To the Point