After Fort Meade community suicides, lawmakers seek $11M for mental health

The ask comes as Cyber Command faces growing demands and a workforce that includes military personnel, civilian employees and contractors. The main gate of Army installation Fort George G. Meade. Maryland lawmakers are urging Congress to approve an additional $11 million for mental health support at U.S. Cyber Command following reports of several suicides among personnel connected to the Fort Meade community this year. (U.S. Army) (Tribune News Service) — Maryland lawmakers are urging Congress to approve an additional $11 million for mental health support at U.S. Cyber Command following reports of several suicides among personnel connected to the Fort Meade community this year. The request, led by Democrats Rep. Sarah Elfreth and Sen.

Chris Van Hollen, comes as Congress considers the fiscal 2027 Defense Department appropriations bill. The lawmakers said the funding would help provide behavioral health professionals with security clearances needed to work with Cyber Command personnel inside secure facilities. The ask comes as Cyber Command, headquartered at Fort Meade, faces growing demands on its cyber operations and a workforce that includes military personnel, civilian employees and contractors. “Losing experienced personnel harms families, disrupts teams, increases replacement and training costs, and reduces the Nation’s capacity to defend critical systems and conduct military cyber operations,” the lawmakers wrote. The letters follow reports that five people assigned to support U.S.