A new research study in Kentucky will examine the effect of military suicides on family and friends.The number of Army personnel who took their own lives reached a new monthly high mark in July. Dr. Julie Cerel from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work is investigating the toll military-related suicides take on not just close loved ones, but fellow service members as well.“When a military colleague dies, it’s not the traditional kind of family relationship that we often look at for bereavement, but it can have very profound impacts on people’s lives and on their willingness to continue in their military role.”Cerel’s study received funding from the Military Suicide Research Consortium. Investigators want to gauge how many people know a veteran who committed suicide and how they coped with that loss.
