Two studies released in recent days interest to national security reporters:

• Suicide by male veterans aged 18-29 is up dramatically, the VA said in an update of its 2012 report on suicide among veterans. The rate for those seeking care from the VA rose from 40 per 1,000 in 2009 to 58% in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available.

  “This is awful and alarming news,” Paul Rieckhoff, the head of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said.

  Overall, the number of veterans taking their own lives has remained steady, at about 22 per day.

  Update on the 2012 VA Suicide Report  | Original 2012 report | LA Times story | VA release

SOURCE: VA report.

• Reports of sexual  assaults at the three major U.S. military academies was down about 10% last year, dropping from 80 to 70, a new VA report said. About two in three of the assaults were at the Air Force Academy.Alcohol remains “a significant factor” in the assaults. “Of the 34 investigations of Unrestricted Reports completed during APY 12-13, 11 (32%) involved the use of alcohol by one or more parties,” the report said.  (Unrestricted reports are those made to command or law enforcement vs. restricted reports, in which the victim receives confidential care but there is no investigation).

  The latest report. | Other reports and releases available at DOD’s main sexual assault site.  | AP story | Related: Sexual assault charges dropped at Annapolis