Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
/ Published April 01, 2021
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --
In 2019, the Department of the Air Force suicide count and rate were the highest in recent history.
Initially in 2020, suicide numbers declined but as the
coronavirus pandemic continued, the suicide trajectory increased and returned to the high levels experienced the previous year.
The Department’s efforts to address these trends focus on improving care for Airmen, Guardians and families. In 2019, the former chief of staff of the Air Force directed a
Resilience Tactical Pause to combat the increasing suicide trend, providing the opportunity for Total Force Airmen to gather with their leaders and coworkers to focus on connectedness and resilience. In 2020, the Air Force shifted to remaining socially connected and physically distanced emphasizing the challenges of the COVID-19 environment.