Suicide and the military justice system

The United States military is sensitive to suicide. There are military policies that direct the formation of active suicide prevention programs. The U.S. military emphasizes a humanitarian approach. Modern military law, however, may view suicidal behavior as deviant. The prosecution of this behavior, although theoretically possible, has never occurred until recently. The U.S. military has now convicted soldiers for attempted suicide and assisted suicide. This article reviews these recent court decisions and suggests revisions in the military law.