
November 6, 2026
Veteran suicide report shows minimal long-term progress among VA enrollees
A closer look at the VA’s limited long-term decline and America’s Warrior Partnership’s broader estimate of 44 deaths per day.
Need help? Call 988 then press 1 for veterans. Or text the Veterans Crisis Line at 838255. Get Crisis Help

Red Star Foundation
VETERAN SUICIDE
Since 2001, upwards of 300,000 veterans have died due to suicide.* Leaving nearly 2 million loved ones to grieve and ask WHY?
* Learn About America's Warrior Partnership's Operation Deep Dive Research (opens in a new tab)
America’s Warrior Partnership’s Operation Deep Dive research estimated at least 44 deaths per day among former service members from suicide and self-injury mortality combined: about 24 suicide deaths and about 20 self-injury mortality deaths each day.
Read the Operation Deep Dive research archive (opens in a new tab) or see our veteran suicide statistics page for dated figures, sources, and methods.
Red Star Foundation works to prevent suicide among current military, veterans, and first responders while supporting the Red Star Families affected by suicide.
Need help? Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if you are in immediate danger.
16,000+
Estimated annual former service member deaths involving suicide and self-injury mortality
Based on America’s Warrior Partnership’s Operation Deep Dive analysis.
The estimate combines suicide and self-injury mortality and is based on a national extrapolation from five years of data in eight states.
The VA’s 2026 report counted 6,488 veteran suicide deaths in 2024, averaging 17.7 per day. The VA and Operation Deep Dive figures use different definitions and methods.
Understand the numbers, the warning signs, and where to find help.
Recognition and connection for families who have lost a loved one to suicide.
Programs that honor lives and connect people.
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Honoring the Forgotten Families
America's Warrior Partnership's Operation Deep Dive analysis estimates that more than 16,000 former service members die each year from suicide and self-injury mortality, about 44 per day. That estimate is broader than the VA's official count of veteran suicide deaths, and it doesn't include the 500+ active military members and 500 first responders who also die by suicide annually.
The Red Star Foundation is a nationwide organization dedicated to honoring and supporting the families and loved ones of current military members, veterans, and first responders who have tragically lost a loved one to suicide. In addition to survivor support, the Foundation works to prevent suicide through education, advocacy, community outreach, and partnerships that promote mental health awareness, early intervention, and access to support resources within military, veteran, and first responder communities.
Learn about Red Star Foundation and our mission to prevent veteran suicide.
Red Star Voices
Surviving family and friends share their stories, their heart and their grief about losing a loved one. Throughout these stories, families reflect on their approaches to grief and the healing process, while also acknowledging the importance of community and culture. Their insights show that, through resilience and support, suicide loss survivors can find understanding, meaning, and even joy in their lives while continuing to honor the lives of those they have lost.
A Symbol Of Hope, Recognition and Connection
The Red Star Service Banner is a powerful symbol of hope, recognition, and connection for families who have lost a loved one to current military, veteran, or first responder suicide. More than a banner, it represents a national movement to honor the forgotten families, break the silence surrounding suicide loss, and ensure no family is left to grieve alone.
For too long, families affected by veteran suicide, military suicide, and first responder suicide have endured unimaginable loss without the recognition or support they deserve. The Red Star Service Banner changes that by providing a visible symbol of remembrance, dignity, and belonging. It honors the lives lost while recognizing the families left behind.
Through the Red Star Foundation, these families become part of a growing nationwide community known as Red Star Families. Whether they identify as Red Star Wives, Red Star Moms, Red Star Dads, or Red Star Children, they share a common bond built on understanding, compassion, and connection.
The Red Star Service Banner also plays an important role in suicide awareness, prevention, and healing. By reducing stigma, encouraging open conversations about mental health, and connecting families with others who understand their experiences, we help address the isolation and increased suicide risk that can follow the loss of a loved one.
The Red Star Service Banner is more than a symbol of remembrance. It is a symbol of hope, recognition, and connection - and a promise that no Red Star Family will be forgotten.


National Resource Directory
Find free and low-cost help for current military, veterans, first responders, and Red Star Families. Search verified organizations by state, county, or ZIP code, and filter by who needs support and the kind of help you are looking for.
Look up resources by state, county, or ZIP code, including nationwide services.
Grief support, mental health, peer support, children, navigation, and more.
Organizations are reviewed before they appear in the directory.
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News, Stories and Information

November 6, 2026
A closer look at the VA’s limited long-term decline and America’s Warrior Partnership’s broader estimate of 44 deaths per day.

October 30, 2026
Red Star Foundation and Operator Relief Fund each receive $7,500 as SECAF brings the government contracting community together to support those who serve and their families.

October 15, 2026
The Red Star Service Banner Act, H.R. 7815, is gaining major bipartisan momentum in Congress, with 35 House cosponsors now joining Rep. Jack Bergman in the effort to establish national recognition for families of current military members, veterans and first responders lost to suicide.
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