CHECKING IN WHEN IT MATTERS MOST: THE ARMY’S NEW INITIATIVE TO PREVENT SUICIDE

The holiday season is often filled with celebration, community, and much-needed downtime. But for many service members, especially those far from home or facing personal challenges, November through January can also bring heightened loneliness, stress, and a sense of isolation.

To address these realities head-on, the U.S. Army has launched a major service-wide initiative aimed at strengthening connections, increasing leader engagement, and reducing suicide across the force.

Army Secretary Calls for Daily Soldier Check-Ins

In mid-November, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll issued a field-wide directive instructing leaders at every level to personally connect with their Soldiers each day between November 19, 2025, and January 15, 2026.

The call-to-action is part of a focused mental-health effort Driscoll describes as “just pick up (the phone) so we can help.”

In his letter, Driscoll emphasized the importance of reaching out, listening, and ensuring Soldiers feel supported—especially during a season when stress and emotional strain tend to spike.

“Seeking help is not weakness — it takes courage, faith, and trust that your family, friends, and community will accept you and help you,” Driscoll wrote on November 19. “We want to pick you up, share your load, and get you moving forward again.”

The Purpose Behind the Campaign

At its core, this initiative aims to reduce suicides across the Army, a challenge the service—and the Department of Defense as a whole—has grappled with for more than a decade.

Under the guidance, leaders are required to check in personally and intentionally with every Soldier under their command, either through face-to-face interaction or via phone call when distance necessitates. The mission is simple:

• Identify Soldiers who may be struggling
• Decrease isolation
• Ensure support and resources reach soldiers before a crisis escalates

While the Army routinely engages in resilience and wellness campaigns, the daily, sustained nature of this effort is notable—and unprecedented in recent years.

Military Suicide Trends: What the Data Shows

According to the Department of Defense’s 2023 Annual Suicide Report, suicide rates among service members have continued to trend upward since 2011.

Key findings from the report include:

Who Is Most At Risk?

• Males under 30 years old represented the most affected demographic.
• In 2023, this group accounted for 61% of the 523 service-related suicides, an increase of 30 cases from 2022.
• Suicide among military family members also increased compared to previous years.

Contributing Factors

The DoD cited several circumstances frequently present in suicide cases:

• Relationship stressors: 44%
• Mental health diagnoses: 42%
• Administrative/legal issues: 29%
• Workplace challenges: 24%
• Financial stress: 12%
• Assault or harassment: 2%

Firearms were the most common means of suicide across the services, underscoring the need for safe-storage initiatives and crisis-prevention training.

As of late 2025, the Army has reported 61 soldier suicides for the year, though the official 2025 DoD report has not yet been released.

What the Army Hopes to Achieve

With this new holiday-season initiative, the Army aims to:

• Strengthen leader-Soldier relationships
• Improve early detection of emotional or mental health crises
• Foster a culture where asking for help is normalized
• Reduce year-over-year suicide rates
• Encourage other branches to implement similar wellness-driven leadership practices

The Army intends for each check-in to be purposeful—not a box-checking exercise, but a meaningful moment to connect, listen, and understand how soldiers are truly doing during a vulnerable time of year.

Supporting the Entire Military Community

Service members and families face pressures that can compound around the holidays. Frequent relocations, time away from loved ones, relationship challenges, operational stress, and financial uncertainty collectively create significant emotional strain.

Efforts like this Army-wide campaign aim not only to protect Soldiers but also to set a tone across the broader military community—one that encourages connection, compassion, and proactive support.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, help is available 24/7:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial or text 988
• Military & Veterans Crisis Line: Press 1 after dialing 988, or text 838255
• Additional military crisis resources can be found through TRICARE, Military OneSource, or installation behavioral health offices.

Reaching out can save a life—and this holiday season, the Army is working hard to ensure no Soldier feels alone.

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