Corps Suffers 29 Percent Spike in Suicides

The Marine Corps has endured a 29 percent increase in suicides through the last year, reaching the highest amount in more than a decade. In 2004 alone, 31 Marines committed suicide compared to 24 in 2003. All of the suicides in 2004 and 2003 were enlisted men. The majority were under 25 years of age and had taken their lives with gunshot injuries, according to Marine Corps statistics.

According to an article in the Marine Corps News Service, the Marine Corps has experienced the highest suicide rate among the Armed Forces and about 70 percent of the suicides over the past four years have been caused by problems related to individual relationships.