I neither condone it nor condemn it, people say it's cowardly, but if you've ever been at that end of a gun you know just how much courage it actually takes.
It's their decision, and no one has the right to judge them since they couldn't possibly understand how the person felt. People say it's unfair to those they leave behind, but don't believe for a second that they didn't think about friends and family as that's a major contribution to their decision.
Some people can handle stress well and can keep a clear head while others simply can't. You've been in the field right? Then you might have witnessed it before, when the fighting starts everyone is afraid but most people push that fear away so they can do what they need to do and worry about it later, while some can't push that fear away and completely shut down.
Stress is a lot like fear; some people are afraid of spiders and don't want to be near one, some don't like them but it doesn't bother them, some keep them as fuzzy little pets, then there's true arachnophobia simply the knowledge of their existence makes them nope the hell out.
Someone can't simply talk you out of fearing spiders.
We all deal with our problems in different ways I came very close to it myself once, I sat on my balcony with my .45 for six hours until I finally told myself that if things don't get any better within a year I'd rethink suicide.
It's been three years now, while things haven't gotten too much better and in many ways it's even gotten worse, I've just gotten use to it all and the thought while still there sometimes is still far from a reality.
I can tell you that it doesn't matter what anyone says either from the suicide hotline or from friends and family, a person who is serious usually wont want to discuss it with other people and it may only make them more upset or distant.
Other people will only tell you not to do it and say you need to find "help" so discussing it with them is rather useless. It's like any other major life choice, only you can make that decision for yourself.