In a moment of candid leadership, the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is urging his fellow Marines to reach out and lift one another.
The message, posted on social media, frames strength as a shared responsibility and a path back from despair.
“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. “I want you to know that there is no wrong door for you to walk through,” Ruiz said.
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“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.
“Your life matters more than you know, and your absence leaves a weight your loved ones will have to bear,” he wrote.
Suicide remains an ongoing crisis across the military. The Department of Defense’s last annual report on suicide in the ranks 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 Marines, both active-duty ones and reservists.
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The Department of Defense has yet to release the 2025 annual report, which would cover data through 2024, with officials citing the 43-day-long government shutdown in the fall as the reason for the delay. They said the report 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.
From the White House to the Pentagon, leaders should treat this as a readiness issue and a moral obligation to those who serve. As President Trump has argued and with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth guiding defense policy, the service must make mental health a concrete, accessible priority. Strength, in this view, includes caring for the troops and their families, not just preparing for battle.
In this moment, Marines deserve to know that help is near and that seeking it is a sign of courage, not weakness. The responsibility to act rests on every formation, every unit, and every command.
The message from the top enlisted leadership is clear: you are not alone, and there is a door open for you. It is up to each of us to walk through it, to choose solidarity over silence, and to stand with those who may be slipping away. The nation benefits when the men and women who wear the uniform confront pain together and emerge stronger for it.
Tough times demand tough, compassionate leadership. That is the standard this service offers when it calls on every Marine to look out for one another, to reach out, and to find help without hesitation. It is the kind of leadership that aligns with the best instincts of our times and the best traditions of our force.
Ultimately, the goal is not merely to survive but to thrive as a community that refuses to surrender to despair. The lifeline is there, the door is open, and the willingness to help is within reach for every Marine who asks for it.
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