The purpose of this study is to learn about what factors influence the health and behavior of Soldiers. We are especially interested in learning about what factors help some Soldiers be more resilient to stress and experiences common to Soldiers and what factors lead other Soldiers to die by suicide. We hope that what we learn will lead to improvements in the health and safety of Soldiers in the future.

If Case: You were selected to participate based on your relationship to a deceased Soldier. We would like you to participate because we think you would have important information about the physical and mental health of your Soldier that would be valuable in understanding how to help other Soldiers in the future. You may not benefit directly but you will be helping other Soldiers. You can help.
If Control: We were given your name and contact information by a Soldier in our study. You may not benefit directly but you will be helping us to improve the health and welfare of our Soldiers

You will be contacted by telephone by an interviewer from The University of Michigan. Your interview will be done over the telephone, at a time that is convenient to you. The interview averages 90 minutes; your interview may be shorter or longer.
You will be asked questions about the physical and mental health and experiences of the Soldier that you know. At the end of the interview there are a few questions about you and your experience.

Participation is voluntary. You may stop participation at any time. You do not have to answer any question you do not want to answer. You can simply say, "I want to skip that question."

The data collected are confidential, and there are many legal and procedural protections in place to protect the data. We will not disclose survey responses to anyone, including other participants. The only exceptions are if you say to a member of the Army STARRS team that you are going to hurt yourself or someone else. Our first priority will be protecting the safety of anyone who might be in danger, including you.
Add If Control: If your survey responses indicate that your Soldier is at imminent risk for self-harm or harm to others, the Soldier will be referred for a confidential consultation. If the Soldier is found to require immediate help and refuses that help, the Soldier’s confidentiality may be compromised.

Participating or not participating in this survey will not have any effect on any benefits that you may be entitled to, now or in the future.

For some people, answering questions about a relative or friend can make them anxious or upset. Other people find it helpful to answer questions in these situations.

You can find more information on the About Army STARRS page.