i [H.A.S.C. No. 112–62] THE CURRENT STATUS OF SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN THE MILITARY HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION HEARING HELD SEPTEMBER 9, 2011 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 68–463 WASHINGTON : 2012 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, http://bookstore.gpo.gov. For more information, contact the GPO Customer Contact Center, U.S. Government Printing Office. Phone 202–512–1800, or 866–512–1800 (toll-free). E-mail, [email protected]. SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL JOE WILSON, South Carolina, Chairman WALTER B. JONES, North Carolina SUSAN A. DAVIS, California MIKE COFFMAN, Colorado ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania TOM ROONEY, Florida MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO, Guam JOE HECK, Nevada DAVE LOEBSACK, Iowa ALLEN B. WEST, Florida NIKI TSONGAS, Massachusetts AUSTIN SCOTT, Georgia CHELLIE PINGREE, Maine VICKY HARTZLER, Missouri JEANETTE JAMES, Professional Staff Member DEBRA WADA, Professional Staff Member JAMES WEISS, Staff Assistant (II) C O N T E N T S CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF HEARINGS 2011 Page HEARING: Friday, September 9, 2011, The Current Status of Suicide Prevention Pro- grams in the Military ........................................................................................... 1 APPENDIX: Friday, September 9, 2011 ...................................................................................... 29 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2011 THE CURRENT STATUS OF SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN THE MILITARY STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Davis, Hon. Susan A., a Representative from California, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Military Personnel ................................................................. 2 Wilson, Hon. Joe, a Representative from South Carolina, Chairman, Sub- committee on Military Personnel ........................................................................ 1 WITNESSES Bostick, LTG Thomas P., USA, Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1, U.S. Army ............. 5 Jones, Lt. Gen. Darrell D., USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel, U.S. Air Force .................................................................................... 7 Kurta, RADM Anthony M., USN, Director, Military Personnel, Plans, and Policy, U.S. Navy .................................................................................................. 6 Milstead, Lt. Gen. Robert E., Jr., USMC, Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, U.S. Marine Corps ............................................................ 7 Woodson, Hon. Jonathan, M.D., Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs .................................................................................................................... 3 APPENDIX PREPARED STATEMENTS: Bostick, LTG Thomas P. .................................................................................. 41 Davis, Hon. Susan A. ....................................................................................... 35 Jones, Lt. Gen. Darrell D. ................................................................................ 74 Kurta, RADM Anthony M. ............................................................................... 54 Milstead, Lt. Gen. Robert E., Jr. ..................................................................... 65 Wilson, Hon. Joe ............................................................................................... 33 Woodson, Hon. Jonathan ................................................................................. 36 DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD: ‘‘PTSD Cases Grow as Combat Continues for Fort Drum Soldiers,’’ by Daniel Woolfolk, Watertown Daily Times, September 8, 2011 ................. 83 WITNESS RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS ASKED DURING THE HEARING: Mr. Coffman ...................................................................................................... 89 Mr. Jones ........................................................................................................... 89 Ms. Tsongas ...................................................................................................... 89 (III) IV Page QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS POST HEARING: Ms. Bordallo ...................................................................................................... 112 Mrs. Davis ......................................................................................................... 93 Mr. Jones ........................................................................................................... 103 Ms. Tsongas ...................................................................................................... 105 THE CURRENT STATUS OF SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN THE MILITARY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL, Washington, DC, Friday, September 9, 2011. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 9:03 a.m. in room 2212, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Joe Wilson (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOE WILSON, A REPRESENTA- TIVE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL Mr. WILSON. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Today the subcommittee meets to hear testimony on the efforts by the Department of Defense and the military services to prevent suicide by service members, family members, and civilian employ- ees. I want to preface my statement by recognizing the tremendous work the Department of Defense and the service leadership has done to respond to the disturbing trend of suicide in our Armed Forces. I understand this has not been an easy task, and I thank you for your hard work. I particularly see military service as an opportunity to be all that you can be. And I want service members to know they are talented people who are important and appreciated by the American people. They can overcome challenges. I am also grateful for Ranking Member Susan Davis’ work she did as chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee to bring attention to the psychological stress in the military and the behav- ioral health needs of service members. With that said, clearly there is more work to be done. Suicide is a difficult topic to discuss. Every suicide is a tragedy, but suicide by members of our military is even more difficult because they have given so much to this Nation. Ultimately, it is an individual decision to take one’s own life. But we must make sure every op- portunity to redirect or change that decision is available before it is too late. Suicide is a multifaceted phenomenon that is not unique to the military. Unfortunately, in addition to the unique hardships of military service, our military members are subject to the same pressures that plague the rest of society. They are exposed to the same stressors, such as the current unemployment and economic situation, that may lead to suicide by their civilian counterparts. I am very concerned those stressors will only get worse in the com- (1) 2 ing months, as debate regarding cuts to the Department of Defense budget intensifies. Each of the military services and the Department of Defense has adopted strategies to reduce suicide by our troops. I would like to hear from our witnesses whether those strategies are working. What are your benchmarks for success? How do you determine whether your programs incorporate the latest research and infor- mation on suicide prevention? I am also interested to know how Congress can further help and support your efforts. With that said, I want to welcome our witnesses, and I look for- ward to your testimony. Before I introduce our panel, let me offer Congresswoman Susan Davis from San Diego an opportunity to make her opening re- marks. [The prepared statement of Mr. Wilson can be found in the Ap- pendix on page 33.] STATEMENT OF HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA, RANKING MEMBER, SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL Mrs. DAVIS. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased that this subcommittee is maintaining its attention on suicides in the military. Over the past several years, as we have seen the number of suicides by service members grow, the sub- committee has been forward-leaning in attempting to support the services and the Department of Defense in their efforts to develop a strategy to reduce and prevent suicides in the force. Mr. Chairman, I want to acknowledge particularly your opening comments that this is a very difficult, a very emotional, and yet a very important issue for us all to deal with. Every suicide, as you said, is a tragedy. But I think for the families the pain of suicide doesn’t go away, and we need to acknowledge how tremendously difficult that is for all involved. Suicide in the military has been a focal point for this sub- committee, but we are not the only ones focused on this issue. In 2007, suicide was the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. While our forces share this demographic, it is impor- tant that we share what we learn and what is learned by others if our country is to be successful in addressing this societal issue. The subcommittee’s efforts have included the establishment of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces in the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009. The task force, com- prised of 14 individuals, civilians and military, with expertise in national suicide-prevention policy, military personnel