In this article, subtypes of altruistic suicide are delineated & evaluated. Military suicide rates are seen as being inversely related to civilian suicide rates. Key limitations of Durkheim’s model of altruistic suicide are discussed, including his exaggeration the prevalence of obligatory suicide. Suggested points of departure for future research on the topic include comparative analyses of suicide in the modern military, & application of the concept of optional altruistic suicide to the impact of suicide acceptability on national suicide rates. (40 refs)