The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is asking his fellow Marines for help. He wants them to ask for help.
Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz took to Instagram on Friday to talk about suicide in the Marine Corps. In a video, Ruiz told troops that, even if they don’t realize it, there might be Marines in their formations that are struggling with feelings of loneliness and pain, feelings that can lead to them taking their own lives.
“There may be Marines today who feel that no one could possibly understand what they’re going through, and therefore they suffer in silence,” he said. “It comes for all of us, tough times.”
For the Marines who aren’t going through that, Ruiz asked them to be there for their comrades that are. And for the troops who are struggling, the Corps’ top enlisted leader asked them to ask for help, because it is there for them: “I want you to know that there is no wrong door for you to walk through,” Ruiz said.
“Because on the other side of that door stands a Marine that’s ready to help,” he continued. “It may be a Marine that you choose or a corpsman or a chaplain, whoever it is, together we can accomplish anything, whatever can seem insurmountable we can figure it out together.”
In the caption to the video, Ruiz noted several contributing factors and risks, from alcohol to proximity to firearms. But he focused more on how connected Marines are to each other and to their loved ones. Pain, he wrote, doesn’t end when someone dies by suicide, it’s felt by those who care for them.
“Your life matters more than you know, and your absence leaves a weight your loved ones will have to bear,” he wrote.
It’s not clear what prompted him to film the message, but suicide remains an ongoing crisis across the military. The Department of Defense’s last annual report on suicide in the ranks, which covered data from 2011 through 2023, was released in November 2024. That report found that 523 service members died by suicide across the military, including the National Guard and Reserve, an increase over 2022. 71 of those were from Marines, both active-duty ones and reservists. The Department of Defense has yet to release the annual report for 2025, which would have data through 2024. The Pentagon cited the 43-day-long government shutdown in the fall as the reason for the delay, and said that it was expected in early 2026.
The Department of Defense does have quarterly reports for the first half of 2025, completed before the shutdown. 39 out of the 234 deaths confirmed or believed to be suicides in the first half of last year were Marines.
“What we don’t do in this Marine Corps is give in or give up. It’s not in our creed, it’s not who we are, it’s not what you’re built to do,” Ruiz told Marines. “Reach out to somebody if you are listening to this and it comes home to you.”
If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. Reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling or texting 988 and you’ll be connected to trained counselors.
