A Pentagon advisory committee is recommending waiting periods and other gun restrictions for service members to help reduce suicides in the armed forces.
Though there was a drop in 2021, suicides in the military have been gradually increasing since 2011, according to the Department of Defense, mirroring a nationwide trend.
In 2021, 519 service members died from suicide, a decrease from 582 in 2020, the Pentagon has said.
The Defense Department noted last year that the suicide risk is greatest for young enlisted men.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the creation of the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee in March 2022.
According to the new advisory report, 66% of active-duty suicides, 72% of reserve suicides and 78% of National Guard suicides involve firearms.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin holds a media briefing at the Pentagon on Oct. 27, 2022 in Arlington, Va. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images. »