Military suicides hit record high

By Jeremy Herb - 01/14/13 06:25 PM ET

The number of military suicides hit a record high in 2012, as the deaths outpaced U.S. casualties in Afghanistan.

Suicides in the military jumped to 349 in 2012, which was an increase from 301 the previous year, a defense official confirmed to The Hill.

The number of suicides in 2012, which was first reported by the Associated Press, is more than any prior year on record, exceeding the previous high of 310 in 2009.

It’s also more deaths than the 295 troops killed in Afghanistan last year, according to the AP.

The record high comes as the Pentagon has made a major effort to curb military suicides with new programs and outreach.

“This issue, suicides, is perhaps the most frustrating challenge that I have come across since becoming Secretary of Defense last year,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said at a DOD-Veterans Affairs suicide prevention conference last June. “Despite the increased efforts, the increased attention, the trends continue to move in a troubling and tragic direction.”

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who was chairwoman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said in a statement that more had to be done.

“This is an epidemic that cannot be ignored,” Murray said. “As our newest generation of servicemembers and veterans face unprecedented challenges, today’s news shows we must be doing more to ensure they are not slipping through the cracks.”