Active duty military members are not considered veterans under US law. As of 2021, there were around 19 million veterans in the US, with the majority serving in the Gulf War. The US has the highest military spending at $876.9 billion, followed by China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia. The US maintains around 750 military bases across 80 countries, with Japan having the highest number of bases within its borders.
The number of suicides in the active-duty military increased from 75 in the first quarter of 2022 to 94 in the first quarter of 2023, with the Army experiencing the highest increase. The Army saw 49 service members die by suicide in the first three months of 2023, compared to 37 a year ago. The Marine Corps also experienced an increase, while the Space Force and Navy saw no increases. The Air Force saw a small increase. Deaths by suicide in the military's reserve components remained the same. This is the largest number of deaths by suicide in a single quarter since the second quarter of 2021.
