Sen. Cornyn: Senate Hearing On Military Suicides Set For March 18

Press Release

Sen. Cornyn: Senate Hearing On Military Suicides Set For March 18

Will participate in hearing, increase congressional oversight regarding Army suicides in Houston Recruiting Battalion

At the request of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the Senate Armed Services Committee will examine the recent trend of Army recruiter suicides as part of a broader hearing it has scheduled for March 18 concerning the rising number of suicides by military service members, suicide prevention efforts, and related mental health issues. Sen. Cornyn wrote to the Committee Chairman and Ranking Member in January requesting the hearing after the Army completed its investigation into four suicides at the Houston Recruiting Battalion, citing the need to address the DoD-wide suicide problem and increase congressional oversight on the issue.

"I'm pleased the Senate Armed Services Committee has honored my request for a hearing to shed additional light on the upsetting trend of rising suicides in our Armed Forces. Our honorable troops raise their right hand, don the uniform, and bravely defend our country, and we must do everything we can in return to support them. But when for four consecutive years, the Army reports an increase in the rate of suicide within its ranks, it becomes clear that we are not doing enough to take care of our men and women in uniform. We need to get to the bottom of this undeniable problem, find solutions, and provide additional resources to our troops returning from the battlefield, as well as their families, whose support of their loved ones remains critical to our national defense.

"After being briefed by Secretary Geren and his team on the Army's investigation into four suicides at the Houston Recruiting Battalion in January, I'm particularly interested in following up with Army officials on problems originally reported there, which included poor command climate and low morale, and getting an update on steps they've taken since then to solve these complex problems. I was recently in Houston meeting with local recruiters from the Battalion and personally heard about the tremendous stresses placed on them. We owe it to them and their family members to put policies in place to prevent future suicides both within the Houston Recruiting Battalion, elsewhere in the Army Recruiting Command, and across our Armed Forces. I look forward to discussing these issues during the hearing and examining policy options to better care for our troops in need," Sen. Cornyn said.

As a participant in the hearing, Sen. Cornyn will testify as a member of the first witness panel and then join his Senate colleagues on the Subcommittee during the second and third panels of witnesses, including the Army Vice Chief of Staff, the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. For the official hearing notice, please click here.

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