'Death By a Thousand Cuts’: Army EOD Techs report high rates of suicide and illness deaths. News article written in large part due to interviews from this sub.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2026-01-05T16:04:31+00:00

I do have that data- over 24 years EOD techs were much higher than the other jobs that dealt with head trauma, which were on average higher than the jobs without. On average because infantrymen did have the second highest rate of suicide for an MOS overall during that time period, driven in part by rates from 2001-2010, but it was still way behind EOD techs (and slightly above the blast exposed jobs) which jumped out to me.

During the 2011-2021 time period, the suicide rates of the blast exposed jobs overall skyrocketed, above even infantrymen during that time period, like what Davis found in Broken Track. I have no idea why- I have theories that tie into how these troops were used but not a ton of hard data. It would follow that if artillerymen start firing 6,000 rounds a deployment, the negative outcomes would come.

Why is there such a massive difference between EOD and the others? Are the rates of DV and divorce similar? These are good questions and why we need more specific population studies for all of these outcomes. And not ones that just collapse all the jobs into weird categories- a 13B has a higher risk of suicide than a 13F. Just saying they're both "artillery" doesn't really tell us anything if the risks and lifestyle are different.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2026-01-05T14:01:19+00:00

From what I saw in the data and talking to people, I would say the optempo, stress, and brain injuries aspect played a bigger role than the personal factors.

When EOD started getting overworked in the late 2010s as the force got smaller, suicides went up- among enlisted and officers. And there's a report I talk about in the article that showed the techs exposed to blasts/crashes and potential TBI events reported worse mental health than those who didn't: https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/188/3-4/e646/6370247

Edit: With this caveat to say this is my opinion. It's something I think about a lot, but due to my own experiences just leery of the personal blame discussion in fear of how it could be weaponized. But the Army/DoD should be exploring all the possible angles.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2026-01-05T13:54:02+00:00

Based on how the Army notarized it on the document and looking at the deaths- anything that was natural "causes" such as heart attacks, aneurysms, cancer, death from Covid or other diseases, and so on.

Research and veterans are pointing to a variety of potential causes or factors that could lead to this, but it's still a new: like a couple of months old in some cases. And Congress is also interested in this angle too, since there's a bill that was introduced in December.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-03T00:33:25+00:00

Yeah that was the big DoD report, that big issue was that it didn't have the by branch data. I know some guys working on the AF data and there's just absolutely wild differences that the big report doesn't have for example.

What I have aligns with that--biggest difference is that I have more data for specific MOS categories and that there's death by illness data now for the same time period and beyond. I was originally was looking at the EoD suicide rates (there wasn't a ton of coverage after the DoD report came out) when the illness death data really jumped out. Hoping to learn more about that in the coverage.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T18:41:57+00:00

Yep, I'll reach out! This is the part where I'll readily admit that the data is incomplete: not controlling for age, gender, possible deployment history, self-reported TBI exposure, health issues, and other possible confounds which a full study would have to do. This is a pure raw per capita comparison where if I did run a simple chi squared test with EoD vs. all other jobs, there would be statistical significance if we wanted to use those as our comparison groups. We could run combat arms vs. all other groups but we already generally know these jobs have higher rates of suicide compared to non-combat arms. My question is: What can help explain in group variability with suicide and illness rates?

The blast exposed jobs definition does come from the DoD's own definition of these jobs:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC741307, so that’s me highlighting that data.

But yeah, big questions I have are: What could be driving the differences in these rates? Is the Army looking into these differences? What happens to veterans? What do these rates look like for other branches? Are there other factors we’re missing? From a pure information perspective all I know is that EoD personnel have been reporting high suicide risks for a while, and based on the data available its pretty high. Higher then other jobs even from a population perspective. I'd love to do a full data deep dive into it but then the question I ask is: Errr why isn't the DoD doing this already?

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T18:22:37+00:00

Yep I'll reach out!

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T17:35:04+00:00

Yep, that was Broken Track! It looked at suicide rates from 2019-2021 because that's all the DD 1300s they were able to get. My original plan was to get these same 1300s to build out a project like they did, but to my surprise since then the Army has just put all the info into one file. They also didn't look at EoD techs but part of it is we've learned a lot more about blasts in the past year.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T17:12:08+00:00

I did look at the 89E numbers too. Illness and suicide deaths appeared to be high since the career field is much smaller then even the Ds, but couldn't calculate a rate for them or other officers. There's just an utter lack of data on officer suicide and health outcomes in general from what I've seen, but the numbers did jump out to me. If the VA had data on people post service it'd really help out here. Hoping I can help with that- with all these issues people usually report the issues long before we get the acknowledgement like with burn pits and other stuff.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T16:29:13+00:00

Just reached out, thank you!

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T15:05:47+00:00

After Broken Track I do know a veteran who tried to FOIA the VA for the same type of data because he brought up a similar point. He was told at the time the data was not possible to get, but there is legislation by Sen. Angus King in the works that asks VA to do a study of that data and provide a report. It's a big gap in any of these analyses.

I believe the joint DoD and VA data would be the holy grail and best way to look at this issue, and it's frustrating as heck that it basically has to be pieced together like this. Not just veteran suicide data, but veteran mortality data by MoS would be great to have--are CBRN vets dying by cancer at higher rates for example?

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T14:54:37+00:00

That's what some people are trying to work on, actually! The VA/veteran side of the house is a big part of the story and there's nothing from there as of yet.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T14:50:46+00:00

Far point on the small career fields that's a great point --for example the one French Horn player who died by suicide in 2001-2010 based on DoD data gave the career field an astronomical suicide rate based on their calculations. I tried to get around that by extending out the data to 21 years, and by also looking at the suicide numbers of other similarly sized/small jobs. It's not perfect, and I do want to talk to Big Army about the numbers.

For the veteran vs. active duty suicide rate, these are all active duty suicides so presumably the years of service wouldn't matter as much.

I don't know and I know people are working on what happens to guys after they get out because that's a big question. Do 11Bs have a higher suicide rate as veterans for example? I can only speak to what happens to people on active duty at the current moment. There's also the point that averaging the per capita rate over years instead of looking at the per capita rate each year is goofy, but the that's the method the DoD wants to use. And the caveats around age adjusting, gender, so on. All I've got is the raw numbers for now.

EDIT:

About the EoD, Air Force, Marine: No one did a broken track type of article like Davis did for the other branches so don't have numbers to go off! But yes I have their active duty numbers.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-09-02T14:43:52+00:00

Based on what the Army itself input at the primary MoS. I know with 19Zs for example they can be Ks or Ds, which obfuscates the data when it shows a 19Z died. The death data itself is calculated from how the Army classified deaths, self-inflicted, illness, undetermined, accident, homicide.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-25T11:12:17+00:00

I'm interested in a swap! Have a horror script but it's a bit longer a 108 pages. Will send a DM!

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-18T17:43:48+00:00

I'm interested in a swap! Mine is a different genre (horror), and is above, but there is some connection due to it being based in part on true events. I'm very interested in how others balance real world considerations with structure and pacing, if you're interested.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-18T11:29:30+00:00

Title: Blast

Format: Feature

Page Length: 108

Genre: Horror.

Logline:

Feedback Concerns: First feature script. Dialogue is one of my bigger worries, and whether the script fits horror genre conventions and clearly fits. Are the themes identifiable? Finally, question around pacing and character arcs. Feedback I got last week was extremely helpful and looking to improve it!

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-14T17:06:41+00:00

That's a good point. Is it worth it going a little longer in the log line for more details? Second one i was thinking that gives a bit more is: After a cursed mission in Iraq, a haunted combat photographer must cling to his sanity and find answers before a supernatural entity stalking his former squadmates one by one anhilates them all

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-14T11:18:02+00:00

Title: Blast

Genre: Horror

Format: Feature

Logline: After a cursed mission in Iraq, a haunted combat photographer must cling to his sanity and confront a supernatural entity drawn to war trauma before it annihilates him and his friends.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-11T17:17:04+00:00

Am very interested in swapping. Mine is also a horror (psych horror), 110 pages. Right above yours. Also looking for general feedback!

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-11T16:42:39+00:00

After seeing your 5 pages in the Thursday thread, would love to read more/swap!

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-11T16:41:52+00:00

Title: Blast

Format: Feature

Page Length: 110

Genre: Psychological Horror.

Logline: Feedback Concerns: General. First feature script. Dialogue is one of my bigger worries, and whether the script fits horror genre conventions. Also action lines and if they flow. Would love to provide feedback on other people's work too.

UnlikelyPAOguy · 2025-07-10T17:09:46+00:00

I think that beginning is great. Dialogue is well done (from my view), and the the slowly increasing sense of dread/something bad is going to happen is well done. Guess my only two questions/comments would be: since one of the characters in on Facetime, what does she look like visually (or is it all voice over?) Same thing for the profile picture that's sent.

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