The Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers — Longitudinal Study (STARRS-LS) is a research project funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to create practical, actionable information on risk reduction and resilience-building for suicide, suicide-related behavior, and other mental/behavioral health issues in the military. It continues and expands the vital work begun by the Army STARRS project that was conducted from 2009 to 2015.

STARRS-LS, which began in 2015 and is currently approved to continue through 2025, is being led by Co-Principal Investigators Robert J. Ursano, MD (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences) and Murray B. Stein, MD, MPH (University of California, San Diego). Other major contributors are Ronald C. Kessler, PhD (Harvard Medical School) and James Wagner, PhD (University of Michigan).

Under STARRS-LS, the research team will:

  • Extend the reach of Army STARRS by conducting longitudinal follow-up studies of Soldiers throughout their Army careers and as they transition back to civilian life
  • Continue the use of the Army STARRS data and infrastructure
  • Collect additional new data for Army STARRS participants to learn more about their experiences
  • Further the use of the Army STARRS data for analyses

STARRS-LS will allow the researchers to continue producing actionable information needed by DoD leadership to address important mental and behavioral health issues in the military.

Another comprehensive resource is the Military Suicide Research Consortium (MSRC). MSRC supported studies on suicidal behavior in the military to advance knowledge on risk assessment, treatment, and prevention. Click here to go to the MSRC website.