At least 11 people working for the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command died by suicide over roughly the past year, Bloomberg reported, citing U.S. officials and public records. The report says the deaths prompted questions from White House and congressional staff.
Five of the deaths occurred between early June and early July. Both agencies operate at Fort Meade, Maryland.
Lawmakers had already been pushing for additional support. In October, a bipartisan group sought $11 million for Cyber Command mental-health services, warning that personnel can face years of sustained operations without predictable recovery periods. Classified work can also prevent them from discussing sources of stress with family or clinicians who lack the necessary clearances.
An August Pentagon memo directed Cyber Command to improve access to care and develop measures addressing operational strain, The Record reported. A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed the initiatives.
The reporting has not established a single cause behind the deaths or determined whether workloads contributed to them.