Researchers at Joint Base Lewis - McChord concluded military discharge would be more likely after members leave service than during deployment . The three - year study looked at military records of discharged service members from October 31 , 2001 to December 31 , 2007 . Total of 31,962 deaths occurred , including 5,041 suicides , by December 31 , 2009 . There were 1,162 suicides among those who enlisted and 3,879 among those who did n't . Soldiers with a dishonorable discharge were twice as likely to commit suicide as those who had honorable discharge .
Researchers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord concluded military suicides may be more likely after members leave service than during deployment . The four-year study looked at military records of 3.9million service members from October 7 , 2001 to December 31 , 2007 . Total of 31,962 deaths occurred , including 5,041 suicides , by December 31 , 2009 . There were 1,162 suicides among those who deployed and 3,879 among those who did n't . Soldiers with a dishonorable discharge were twice as likely to commit suicide as those who had honorable discharge .