Despite a significant decrease in suicide rates in the IOF over the past decade 16 soldiers committed suicide in the past year the Israeli army announced on Tuesday.
Head of the army’s Manpower Directorate Brig. Gen. Meirav Kirshner reported in a press conference held today that 16 Israeli soldiers committed suicide last year.
Of those who committed suicide this past year 13 were conscripts one was in the reserves and two were officers.
As opposed to speculation the vast majority of suicides this year and in previous years were during the soldier’s service and not during basic training Kirshner said adding that if a decade ago there was a higher number of suicides among immigrant and other specific groups it was no longer the case.
