June a Record Month for Army Suicides

The number of U.S. Army Soldiers who committed suicide hit a record in June, statistics reveal.

The Defense Department reported 32 suicides in June -- 21 active-duty troops and 11 National Guard or Reserve forces, making it the worst month on record.

The Army renewed its commitment to suicide prevention and outreach to Soldiers who might be at risk at a time when repeat tours of duty have taken a heavy toll on Soldiers who have fought during the nine years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, USA Today reported.

"The hypothesis is the same that many have heard me say before: continued stress on the force," Army Col. Christopher Philbrick, director of the Army Suicide Prevention Task Force, told the newspaper.

The Army Thursday unveiled a video, "Shoulder to Shoulder: I Will Never Quit on Life," featuring testimonials by Soldiers who overcame self-destructive impulses with help.

The Army has increased prevention efforts as the number of suicides has climbed in recent years and reached a record 244 last year.

In June, the Army said, seven Soldiers killed themselves in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. Ten of those who committed suicide had been deployed two to four times.

Efforts to reduce stigma notwithstanding, a military suicide researcher told USA Today the military continues to view mental illness as a weakness and change won't come quickly.

"I would expect it to be years," said David Rudd, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science at the University of Utah.