Suicide a crisis for Defence
A HARROWING report has revealed veterans are at a significantly higher risk of taking their own lives, compared with serving soldiers.
The fourth annual Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report compiled data on suicides in the Australian Defence Force and detailed the scope of the crisis for the first time.
Between 2001 and 2019, 1273 permanent, reserve and veterans died by suicide.
Of those deaths, more than 80 per cent were ex-service members.
Ex-service women are twice as likely to take their own lives, while ex-servicemen face a 24 per cent higher risk than the general public.
Suicide rates for those who discharge as commissioned officers are half that than other ranks, while high suicide rates were also documented in young men, those with less than five years of service and people who were forced to discharge on medical grounds.
War widow and Veteran Family Advocate Gwen Cherne said that the findings reinforced what Defence circles already knew.
Ms Cherne’s husband Sergeant Peter Cafe took his life in 2017.
The 2020 AIHW report catalogued 465 ADF suicide deaths between 2001 and 2018; the latest report found deaths had more than doubled.
Those lost to suicide in 2019 increased the number as well as the deaths of those who suicided after 2001 and served from 1985 were counted while previous reports only those who served from 2001.
Ms Cherne said the new numbers “lined up” with the experiences of veterans and families.
Chairman of the National Suicide Prevention Trial for Veterans Lieutenant General John Caligari (retired) said supporting the switch into civilian life was critical, but members were often left “drowning in a sea of help”.
“Those soldiers, sailors and aviators that are discharging from the ADF in Townsville have some difficulty working out who to go to and who does what,” he said.
Lieutenant General Caligari said there were a number of well intentioned ex-service organisations, groups and programs, but no clear path for vets to find the right service.
“Men don’t ask for help and if they do become brave enough to ask and they get knocked back, they will never do it again,” he said.
Lieutenant General Caligari also said that a focus was
needed on skilling troops for life outside Defence from the start of their service.
“Soldiers need to start preparing for their transition out from the day they join,” he said.