The Crisis
Understanding the Veteran Suicide Crisis and How We Can Prevent It
Veteran suicide remains one of the most serious challenges facing America's veteran community. Thousands of veterans die by suicide every year, leaving behind families, friends, fellow veterans and communities forever changed by their loss.
According to the most recent national data available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 6,398 veterans died by suicide in 2023, an average of approximately 17.5 veteran suicides per day. The overall veteran suicide rate was 35.2 per 100,000 veterans in 2023.
But the numbers do not tell the entire story.
For years, Americans have heard figures such as 17 veteran suicides per day, 22 veteran suicides per day and, more recently, 44 veteran suicides per day. These numbers come from different time periods, methodologies and definitions. Understanding those differences is important to understanding the true scope of the veteran suicide crisis.
At Red Star Foundation, our mission is to help prevent suicide among current military, veterans and first responders while providing hope, recognition and connection to the families left behind.
Veteran suicide prevention requires more than responding when someone reaches a crisis point. It requires connection, early intervention, trusted peer relationships, stronger communities and a willingness to have conversations that may save a life.
The data
People searching for veteran suicide statistics 2026 should understand that national suicide mortality reporting is delayed because death records must be collected and verified across the country. The most current nationwide veteran suicide data available in 2026 comes from the Department of Veterans Affairs' 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report and covers deaths occurring in 2023.
6,398deaths
Veterans died by suicide in 2023
17.5per day
Average veteran suicide deaths per day
35.2per 100,000 veterans
Overall veteran suicide rate
61%approximate share
Veterans who died by suicide had not received VA health care during the previous year
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (deaths occurring in 2023).
These veteran suicide statistics demonstrate why veteran suicide prevention cannot depend exclusively on traditional health care systems. Community organizations, families, friends, employers, faith communities and fellow veterans can all play an important role in reaching veterans who may otherwise remain disconnected from help.
Crisis resources
Asking for help is not weakness. Reaching another person during a difficult moment can be the first step toward getting through it.
Connect with trained crisis responders through the Veterans Crisis Line.
Veterans and those concerned about a veteran can connect with trained crisis responders.
If someone is in immediate danger or experiencing a medical emergency.
Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988, then Press 1. Asking for help is not weakness. Reaching another person during a difficult moment can be the first step toward getting through it.
Understanding the numbers
One of the most common questions about this issue is: How many veterans die by suicide each day? The answer depends on the data source and what is being measured.
The Department of Veterans Affairs reported that 6,398 veterans died by suicide in 2023, which equals approximately 17.5 veteran suicides per day. This is the most current official national estimate available from the VA. The number has changed over time as veteran population levels, suicide deaths and reporting methodologies have changed.
The phrase 22 veteran suicides per day became widely recognized after earlier VA research estimated approximately 22 veteran suicide deaths each day. That figure helped bring national attention to veteran suicide, but it should not be treated as the current official estimate. Today's VA data places the documented number closer to 17 veteran suicides per day. The continued popularity of the phrase "22 veteran suicides per day" shows how deeply that statistic became associated with veteran suicide awareness, even as newer national data has become available.
Independent research has suggested that the scope of premature veteran deaths may be significantly larger when additional categories of death are considered. America's Warrior Partnership's Operation Deep Dive identified an estimated rate of at least 44 former service member suicide and self-injury mortality deaths per day within the states studied. Self-injury mortality, often abbreviated as SIM, can include deaths that may not necessarily be officially classified as suicide. That distinction matters. The VA's approximately 17.5 veteran suicides per day figure represents documented veteran suicide deaths using national mortality records. The 44 veteran suicides per day figure frequently cited in public discussion comes from research examining a broader category of suicide and self-injury mortality among former service members. These numbers should therefore not be viewed as competing estimates of exactly the same measurement. Instead, they demonstrate the difficulty of accurately measuring the full scope of preventable veteran deaths.
Whether the number being discussed is 17 veteran suicides per day, 22 veteran suicides per day or 44 veteran suicides per day, every death represents a person, a family and a community affected by suicide.
The rate
The veteran suicide rate continues to be substantially higher than that of the broader U.S. adult population.
According to VA data, the veteran suicide rate in 2023 was 35.2 deaths per 100,000 veterans.
The veteran population has also declined significantly over the past two decades, making it important to look at both the total number of deaths and the suicide rate when evaluating changes in the veteran suicide crisis.
A lower number of deaths does not necessarily mean the underlying risk has disappeared.
Veteran suicide prevention efforts must continue addressing the conditions that increase suicide risk while strengthening the factors that help veterans remain connected, supported and hopeful.
2023 veteran suicide rate
Accessible text equivalent of the veteran suicide rate chart: in 2023 the overall veteran suicide rate was 35.2 deaths per 100,000 veterans - 37.8 per 100,000 among male veterans and 13.9 per 100,000 among female veterans (VA 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, covering 2023 deaths). Legacy destination chart original: unknown - retired, see status doc.
Causes
There is no single explanation for veteran suicide. The veteran suicide causes frequently discussed by researchers are better understood as interconnected risk factors and life circumstances that can increase vulnerability. A veteran may experience several challenges at the same time.
None of these factors automatically means that someone will attempt suicide. Veteran suicide is complex, and every person's circumstances are different. Effective veteran suicide prevention focuses on recognizing risk early while strengthening protective factors such as relationships, purpose, access to care, economic stability and meaningful community connection.
Mental health
Conversations about veteran mental health often focus on PTSD and traumatic brain injury, but veteran suicide should not be reduced to a single diagnosis.
Many veterans experiencing suicidal thoughts may be dealing with combinations of emotional, physical, financial, family or social challenges.
For some veterans, chronic pain may become overwhelming. Others may experience difficulty adjusting after leaving military service. Some lose the close relationships, daily structure and sense of mission that existed while they were serving.
Others may never seek formal mental health treatment.
That is one reason community-based veteran suicide prevention matters.
The VA reported that approximately 61% of veterans who died by suicide in 2023 had not received VA health care during the previous year.
Reaching those veterans requires approaches that extend beyond hospitals and clinics and into the places veterans actually live, work and interact.
Connection
Connection can be a powerful protective factor.
Military service often creates strong relationships built around shared experiences, teamwork, responsibility and mission.
After leaving the military, some veterans struggle to replace those connections.
Isolation can gradually increase. A veteran may stop attending events, communicating with friends or asking for help. Employment changes, relationship problems, disability, chronic pain or relocation can make isolation worse.
Effective veteran suicide prevention must therefore focus not only on crisis intervention but also on rebuilding meaningful relationships before a crisis develops.
Sometimes one trusted person asking one direct question can open a conversation that changes someone's life.
Warning signs
Recognizing warning signs may help someone intervene before a situation becomes more dangerous.
Warning signs should always be taken seriously. If you believe a veteran may be considering suicide, ask directly whether they are thinking about suicide. Listening without judgment and connecting the person with immediate support can make a difference.
Crisis resources
Connect with trained crisis responders through the Veterans Crisis Line.
Veterans and those concerned about a veteran can connect with trained crisis responders.
If someone is in immediate danger or experiencing a medical emergency.
Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988, then Press 1. Asking for help is not weakness. Reaching another person during a difficult moment can be the first step toward getting through it.
Get help
If you or someone you know needs veteran suicide help, immediate support is available.
Asking for help is not weakness. Reaching another person during a difficult moment can be the first step toward getting through it.
Support
Reliable veteran suicide resources can help veterans, families and communities understand suicide risk and identify options for support. Important resources include:
Veterans Crisis Line
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention programs
VA mental health services
Community mental health providers
Veteran peer-support organizations
Local crisis centers
Veteran service organizations
Faith-based and community organizations
Family and caregiver support networks
No single program can solve the veteran suicide crisis. A comprehensive prevention strategy requires collaboration between government agencies, nonprofits, health care providers, veteran organizations, families and communities.
Prevention
Veteran suicide prevention must begin long before someone reaches the point of attempting suicide. Prevention can include:
Preventing veteran suicide is a shared responsibility. Family members, friends and fellow veterans often recognize behavioral changes before anyone else does. Communities must be equipped to recognize those signs and know what to do next.
Our approach
Red Star Foundation works to prevent suicide among current military, veterans and first responders while supporting families who have lost someone they love to suicide. Our approach centers on three principles: Hope. Recognition. Connection. We believe suicide prevention is strengthened when people remain connected to individuals and communities they trust. We also believe families affected by suicide deserve recognition and continued support. Through our programs and initiatives, Red Star Foundation works to increase veteran suicide awareness, encourage conversations, strengthen peer relationships and recognize the families whose lives have been forever changed by suicide.
The Red Star Pledge encourages veterans and others to make a simple but potentially life-saving commitment: Talk to someone before making an irreversible decision. A conversation may not solve every problem, but it can create time, connection and another opportunity to find help. The pledge is designed to normalize conversations about suicide and encourage people to reach someone they trust before acting during a moment of crisis.
Learn moreVeterans often understand other veterans in ways that can be difficult to replicate. Shared experiences can build trust and make conversations easier. Red Star Foundation's Peer-to-Peer Network is designed around connection at the community level, helping veterans build relationships and strengthening the human networks that can identify isolation and distress earlier. Peer support is not a replacement for professional mental health treatment. It is another layer of connection that can help ensure veterans do not face difficult periods alone.
Learn moreBehind every veteran suicide statistic is a human story. Red Star Voices gives families affected by suicide an opportunity to share those stories. These conversations help people understand that veteran suicide is not simply a number on a government report. Every loss affects parents, spouses, children, siblings, friends, coworkers and entire communities. Sharing these experiences can increase veteran suicide awareness, reduce stigma and encourage conversations that might otherwise never occur.
Learn moreFamilies who lose a loved one to suicide often experience a type of grief that is difficult for others to understand. The Red Star Service Banner and Red Star Service Pin provide visible recognition for families of current military, veterans and first responders who died by suicide. These symbols acknowledge the person who was lost while recognizing the family that continues carrying that loss. Recognition is an important part of Red Star Foundation's mission because suicide should never erase a person's service or leave a family feeling forgotten.
Learn moreThe Veterans Suicide Awareness Ribbon was created to increase awareness of veteran suicide and encourage conversations about prevention. Awareness alone is not enough, but awareness can lead to conversation. Conversation can lead to connection. Connection can lead someone toward help. The goal is to turn veteran suicide awareness into action.
Learn moreTake action
You do not need to be a mental health professional to make a difference. You can help by:
One call, one conversation or one act of connection may matter more than you realize.
FAQ
Hope. Recognition. Connection.
Veteran suicide cannot be reduced to 17 veteran suicides per day, 22 veteran suicides per day or 44 veteran suicides per day.
Every number represents a person.
Every person represents relationships.
And every veteran suicide leaves people behind.
Red Star Foundation is working to create a national culture in which veterans remain connected, families affected by suicide are recognized and communities have the tools to intervene before another life is lost.
Through veteran suicide prevention, peer-to-peer connection, veteran suicide awareness and support for Red Star Families, we are working toward a future in which fewer families experience this devastating loss.
Hope. Recognition. Connection.
Join Red Star Foundation in the fight against veteran suicide.
Transparency
The Red Star Foundation is proud to have achieved the Platinum Seal of Transparency. The highest level of transparency from GuideStar, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information. This prestigious recognition highlights the Foundation’s commitment to openness, accountability, and trustworthiness in its mission to combat veteran suicide and provide support to families of military and veteran suicides.
The Platinum Seal of Transparency reflects the Red Star Foundation’s dedication to sharing clear and comprehensive information about its programs, financials, and impact. It demonstrates that the organization adheres to the highest standards of transparency, ensuring donors, partners, and stakeholders can confidently support its vital work.
This milestone is another step forward in the Foundation’s efforts to honor and support those who have served our nation and their families during times of crisis.
Stay connected
Stay connected with our Red Star Foundation community advocates by joining our mailing list for our quarterly newsletter and events.
Take the next step
Every veteran's life matters. Stand with us to reduce veteran suicide and bring hope to those who need it most.
