The Brandon Act: A Crucial Step Towards Addressing Military Suicides

What is the Brandon Act?

The Brandon Act is a proposed legislation in the United States that seeks to establish a confidential system that enables military personnel to report instances of harassment and abuse without fear of retaliation. The bill was named after Brandon Caserta, who took his own life at age 20 while serving as an airman in the Air Force. The Brandon Act would require all branches of the military to implement an anonymous reporting system for sexual assault victims within one year of its passage into law.

Why is the Brandon Act Necessary?

The Brandon Act is necessary because of the high suicide rate among military personnel. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, there was an average of 22 suicides per day in 2018. In addition, there were 1,976 attempts at suicide by active-duty service members during that same year; this number represents a 10% increase from 2017 and a 60% increase since 2012. While some may argue that these numbers are not significantly higher than those found among civilians or even veterans who have left the military, it is important to note that many factors contribute to this issue: poor mental health support within the armed forces; increased efforts needed to address issues such as hazing and bullying within the military; lack of access to resources outside of deployment zones (for example: if you're stationed overseas); cultural stigma surrounding seeking help for mental illness; etcetera...

What Does the Brandon Act Require?

The Brandon Act requires the Department of Defense to create a confidential reporting system for service members to report harassment, abuse, and assault. The Act also requires an investigation process to determine whether incidents of harassment or abuse have occurred. In addition, it mandates training for military personnel on the reporting system and on the consequences of harassment and abuse.

Support for the Brandon Act

The Brandon Act has received bipartisan support in Congress and several lawmakers have already introduced legislation to implement the act. The House of Representatives passed H.R. 983, which would establish a commission to study ways to reduce military suicides, by voice vote on April 6, 2019. In addition, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced S. 711 on March 27, 2019; this bill would direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a working group that would develop recommendations for reducing military suicide rates through improved mental health care services for service members and veterans with mental health conditions associated with high-risk factors for suicide attempts or ideation

Implementation of the Brandon Act

The Brandon Act is a step in the right direction, but it's not enough. There are many more things that need to be done before we can truly say that we've addressed this issue. We must continue working towards creating a safer and more supportive environment for military personnel so that they don't feel like they have no other option than suicide as an escape from their problems.

Conclusion

The Brandon Act would be a significant step toward addressing the issue of military suicides in the United States. It could help to create a safer and more supportive environment for military personnel, which may ultimately help to reduce the number of suicides among service members.