Understanding a Time of High Risk for Suicide: Adversities Associated with Separation from Military Service among National Guard and Reserve Service Members

Objective: The purpose was to examine five types of adversity and their associations with separating from military service among a nationally representative sample of U.S. National Guard and Reserve (NGR) service members. Methods: Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between separating from the service and adversities, and demographic differences in adversities experienced among those who had separated from the service and those who stayed in the service. Results: Those who left the military were more likely to report financial (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.01–2.70) and healthcare access problems (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.10–4.46). Among those who left the military, female service members were more likely to experience interpersonal adversity (OR = 4.28, 95% CI = 1.15–15.87), and Army and Marine service members were more likely to experience job-employment adversity (OR = 4.92, 95% CI = 1.50–16.12) and financial adversity (OR = 6.46, 95% CI = 1.22–34.33). Conclusion: Separating service members experience financial adversity and challenges with healthcare access. Interpersonal difficulties are particularly experienced by female service members, and job/employment difficulties experienced by Army and Marine veterans. Continued efforts are needed to facilitate service delivery for NGR separating service members who need them.