Department of the Navy Suicide Incident Report (DONSIR): Summary of 1999-2003 Findings

Abstract : The Department of the Navy Suicide Incident Report (DONSIR) collects data on completed suicides in the Navy (USN) and Marine Corps (USMC). It provides the Problem: Department of the Navy (DON) with consistent data that can be compared across both services, and establishes baselines for suicide rates and suicide event characteristics that can be used to track trends over time. It also evaluates military-specific correlates of suicide that are not addressed in the civilian academic literature. Objective: This is the fifth annual report on the DONSIR. The objectives are to present findings for data collection from 1999 through 2003 and to summarize the conclusions and recommendations that can be drawn based on the results. Approach: Completion of the DONSIR is a DON requirement for every completed suicide by an active-duty member (Navy Personnel Command, 2002, U.S. Marine Corps, 2001). The Suicide Prevention Program Manager for each service forwards service-specific instructions and an electronic copy of the DONSIR to each decedent's command. Commands are to assign a point of contact to complete the report and refine it within 4 weeks of receipt. Results: Between 1999 and 2003, there were 216 completed suicides among active-duty personnel and 125 among active-duty USMC personnel.