22/Day Down To 17/Day – Lower Suicide Rate From 2017 Spike
The VA recently released the 2021 Veteran Suicide statistics. The good news is that the suicide rate is down from the all-time high in 2017. Civilian suicide rates also fell at that time. From our point of view, this is great news, but we can’t help but shake our heads at the postvention needs of both the Veteran and the family are not more fully addressed. Read the full report here.
Here is the opening excerpt:
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report shows the overall
Veteran suicide count and rate decreased in 2019 from 2018 and from 2017.
The data within the report is notable because:
• It provides information from 2001 through 2019, while recent prior reports included data from 2005 forward.
• This update includes the most current data and applies methodologic enhancements, resulting in the most
comprehensive assessment to date of Veteran suicide mortality, for the years 2001-2019.2
There were 6,261 Veteran suicide deaths in 2019. Down from years before, but overall they are still rising from the 5,989 in 2001 when the VA started collecting data.
The report represents and communicates a “whole of VA” approach to suicide prevention that integrates strategic
planning, program operations, and program evaluation across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans
Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration. The report represents and communicates
a “whole of government” approach to suicide prevention that integrates strategic planning across federal agencies to
facilitate complementary and collaborative prevention, intervention, and postvention approaches tailored to agencyspecific populations. The report represents and communicates the value of “public/private partnerships” to reinforce and
magnify collective and unified engagement of suicide prevention.
Given this background, this report includes the following updated information and data:
• There were 399 fewer Veteran suicides in 2019 than in 2018.
• There was a 7.2% overall decrease in the age- and sex-adjusted Veteran suicide mortality rate in 2019, as compared
to 2018.
• The unadjusted suicide rate for male Veterans decreased 3.6% in 2019 from 2018 while the unadjusted suicide rate
for female Veterans decreased 12.8% in 2019 from 2018.
Decreases in Veteran suicide across multiple fronts and methods of measurement in 2019 were unprecedented across the
last 20 years.
End of excerpt.
ABOUT ONCE A SOLDIER
Our Veterans are killing themselves in record numbers mostly due to PTSD. An overmatched VA can’t take care of them or their families. We will.
Soldier suicide leaves Veteran families with thousands of dollars of bills unpaid, mostly bank loans.
We are the only nonprofit standing with the families after a veteran suicide. Stand with us.
Our Mission: Become the preferred channel for donors, advocates and volunteers who care about veteran families left behind after a soldier suicide.
I would like to have a 22 flags to put in my stark holes for a va parade in July, and things to pass out to people who are not aware of the deaths our veterans dye everyday
Hi Daniel,
A VA parade in July 2022 gives you plenty of time to get your idea together. Good luck.
MY BELOVED HUSBAND, MY DEAR BROTHER-IN-LAW, AND ONE NEPHEW ARE ALL 100% SERVICE-CONNECTED, WAR-RELATED, U.S. DISABILITY-RELATED VETERANS. THE RISK OF KILLING YOURSELF IN THIS PARTICULAR SUB-GROUP IS ABSOLUTELY ASTRONOMICAL !!! (YES, THE VA HAS COME UP WITH A” PROGRAM ” TO ATTEMPT TO ASSIST THESE POOR SOULS. YET, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE RATE OF SELF-INFLICTED DEATH OR INJURY , AMONG RETURNED VETERANS OF ALL AGES AND RANKS IS SHARPLY RISING ( SO WE CAN ASSUME THAT SUCH A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM IS NOT REALLY EFFECTIVE = IN SAVING VETS LIVES.)
(MORE TO COME. )
P.S. SECOND ONLY TO HAVING A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE ACTUALLY SUCCEED IN KILLING THEMSELVES, IS THE EXPERIENCE OF DESPERATELY ATTEMPTING TO RESCUE A RETURNED VET = WHO IS HELL-BENT IN THE ACT OF “SNUFFING OUT ” THEMSELVES. YES, THAT HAPPENED TO ME = AND I HAD TO TO GO INTO THERAPY MYSELF ABOUT IT. ( MIRACLE OF MIRACLES, MY VET LOVED ONE WAS ABLE TO BE SAVED…..AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. ALTHOUGH I AM ONLY GRATEFUL I WAS THERE TO HELP.) G-D BLESS
I believe the VA is encouraging the suicides. Stop saying the word! I’m a master at advertising and my whole strategy to get customers to take an action is repetition. Stop saying that word people!!!!!! Concentrate on problem solving and encouraging live and positivity. It is not that hard.
I think you have a valid point. I wouldn’t say that they are encouraging, but I agree that using it is making it okay in a way.
I recently called the White House VA. They listened and acted on info of Reno VA hospital rude and crued reaction to Vet request for Help. NO,the answer from Staff and Md. We often never know who/ nurse or Md often intern of U of N. Was to help you?
Your idea after 60 years with your body is ” wrong” Not possible”
Over weight HB pressure take a pill. Can’t piss take a pill. We can only talk about Drugs we issue. “GO OUT SIDE VA FOR OTHER DRUG INFO. PHONE CALLS TO YOU NOT ON YOUR CHART. WHO CALLED AND LEFT NO MESSAGE, VA BUT WHO? MOST STAFF ARE GOOD. PILL GIVERS “GREAT”
NONE CARING COMMUNITION MIGHT JUST START THE SAD ROAD TO END A LIFE.
I just spent a hour on a VA call in here in Ohio where call in questions were taken. My question is what kind of confidentiality does a veteran have if he calls the VA suicide line or otherwise contacts the VA about depression? With data harvesting would data be made available for REDFLAG gun control programs? Well they never addressed the issue. I would think the VETERANS LIFE WOULD BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN as there are other ways to kill ones self!
/ With new cover
Billy,
Thanks for commenting. I don’t know enough about Red Flag codes and procedures to comment back, I’m afraid. Knowing what I do about the VA, they would probably be compelled to follow the rules, but quality follow-through is not their hallmark of service. It is a Catch-22 when it comes to “confessing” your mental health issues. They are trying to be better, but that ship take a long time to turn, as you know. Dave
Hello I’m getting ready to open up a Veteran community center in Harvey, IL. I wanted to know where to get statistics on these issues by city or township? PTSD, Polytrauma, TBI, Suicide, Homelessness, Unemployment, Substance Abuse,
Hi Karen,
Thank you for your comment. And way to go on opening a Vet center. Very cool and exciting. The VA will probably not have info that detailed, but if there’s a VA hospital near you, they might but that is a long shot too. I would look at other nonprofits that deal with these issues locally. They will have much better data for you I’ll bet. Dave
I am a retired military member with 23 years service. From 1966-1989. Many Vietnam. Veterans suffer from PTSD and it went undiagnosed for years. I believe that is still part of the problem especially with all the amputees over the past 20 years. We need to do a better job identifying those in need.
Jonathon,
As a non-Veteran, but someone who has been helping for 5 years, PTSD is the root cause of most veteran suicides. The root cause of PTSD is war, and there’s no easy answer there. You are exactly correct about getting to those in need easier. The way to do a better job of that is to remove the stigma associated with asking for help while serving and after.
As the founder and CEO of Once A Soldier, I believe that ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is the best option that we have now. Other psychedelics work too, but KAP has gained the most traction in the medical field. There are clinics across the country with CRNAs there to administer and help vets find joy in life again.
We have applied for a grant to be able to fully fund 72 veterans and their families who are at risk for suicide. There are others like me who hope for approval for the same grant, so help is coming. I believe that KAP will soon give way to something more affordable, but if you or anyone you know is at risk, have them reach out to me directly to learn more.
Why isn’t the VA’s on the same page with Veteran Suicides? I am familiar with several Veterans who tried to get assistance, however they were not war veterans or retirees.
Does this make suicide by a noncombat Veteran less important when seeking help?
We all hear the stories and read the facts. But there still is a mind set of combatants verse noncombants and retirees verse non retirees.
Do any know if the VA is looking into this?
Hi Charles,
To your first question; I don’t know. I have tried to get grants for treatment that saves lives instead they give money to soft programs that never address the real issue and real fixes. I think this report, like the initial one in 2017, was a mistake they regret publishing. Second question; I don’t think any suicide is more tragic than other in the end. Circumstances differ, but the VA isn’t smart enough to discriminate, I think. On the last point/question, no, the VA is not looking into this as far as I know. I have not seen money granted for studies or read anything from my sources, which are not very varied but I do have my finger on what’s up. I also don’t think that this mind set you speak of exists inside the Veteran community as much as it does in the civilian community. I could be wrong, but my reading of the attitudes among Vets is that a Vet is a Vet and while some may look up or down at others, they’re all in the same boat. That said, I also don’t think civilians know enough to understand that not all Vets saw combat. Thanks for commenting. Dave
My son died earlier this year as an active soldier at Fort Benning, Ga. He had PTSD and the range of side effects that come with that – depression, inability to sleep, nightmares. He was taking max doses of PTSD drugs prescribed by Army, along with illicit drugs at time of death, due to overdose. Autopsy ruled death an accident but are denying unpaid leave with an adverse LOD (line of duty) finding. For me as a parent I am not dependent on the money, and my son had no wife or children, but this adverse LOD ruling affects military family dependents horribly, and there must be thousands of PTSD deaths ruled adversely because of this and the denial of benefits. I will appeal this LOD finding for my son and want to help others as this is a major disservice to other families. The Army trains these young people to be killers, then sends them in for deployments and then they see what transpires and come back both physically and mentally damaged for life. Military takes great care and length of time to help with physical damage, but mental damage is looked at negatively as if a weakness, and minimal effort – at best (60 days at a rehab goes into helping them other than treating them like pariahs. Then Covid came along and further delays brought isolation, depression and ultimate death – even with very strong cries for help. I am seeking to right an injustice against what I suspect many military drug related suicides are created by. Is there a way to determine how many suicide deaths are due to drug overdoses? If my son had shot himself at home, would there have been a negative LOD finding because of that? These are all questions that I am struggling to find out.
Dear Rhonda,
Thank you for sharing your story. Best of luck on your appeal. Everyone here at OAS is all pulling for you. Let me know if there’s some way we can help in the future.
To answer your questions: My best guess is that about 15% are PTSD-fueled drug overdoses. We are still having trouble getting an accurate count of Veteran suicides by any method. I say that because a recent report that we participated in – called “Operation Deep Dive” – put the daily suicide number at 44 rather than 22 or 17 – the last year’s VA report final number/day.
As far as getting LOD findings by another method, I don’t know. The military has rigid rules on things like this, but they’re growing old fast. Your voice could be the difference between Congress listening and acting instead of just listening lately.