U.S. special forces struggle with record suicides - admiral

U.S. Navy Admiral William McRaven testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington March 5, 2013, with regard to the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2014. REUTERS/Gary Cameron

TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) - Suicides among U.S. special operations forces, including elite Navy SEALs and Army Rangers, are at record levels, a U.S. military official said on Thursday, citing the effects of more than a decade of "hard combat."

The number of special operations forces committing suicide has held at record highs for the past two years, said Admiral William McRaven, who leads the Special Operations Command.