Recently released National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report also notes that veterans experiencing mental health, substance use or homelessness, and those with easy access to firearms were at a higher risk of suicide.
The recently released 2025 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report showed that while the total number of veterans who died by suicide slightly reduced from 2022 to 2023, the overall rate of veteran suicides increased over that period.
From 2022 to 2023 – the most recent year for which data is available – suicides among veterans dropped from 6,442 to 6,398 suicides. And the average number of veteran suicides per day fell slightly, to 17.5 in 2023 from 17.6 in 2022.
However, the rate of suicides per 100,000 veterans rose during the same period in both the male and female population. For women, the rate rose from 13.7 to 13.9, and for men, it rose from 37.3 to 37.8.
The report also showed that 61 percent of veterans who died by suicide in 2023 were not receiving VA health care in the last year of their life. For veterans receiving VHA in the previous year or year of their suicide, the suicide rate dropped from 40 percent to 39 percent from 2022 to 2023.
“Veteran suicide has been a scourge on our nation for far too long,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a press release. “Most veterans who die by suicide were not in recent VA care, so making it easier for those who have worn the uniform to access the VA benefits they have earned is key.”
Also noted in the report is that suicide rates are elevated for veterans aged 18 to 34 years, and those with certain risk characteristics. Those include:
· Mental Health Issues or Substance Use: Among veterans in VHA care who died from suicide in 2023, 60.9 percent had a VHA mental health or substance use disorder diagnosis, while 39.1 percent did not.
· Head Trauma/Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Research shows increased suicide ideation, attempt and death rates among people who have experienced head trauma. In each year from 2001-23, suicide rates for veterans in VHA care were elevated for those with a TBI. In 2023, the suicide rate was 77.6 per 100,000 for those with a recent diagnosis of TBI, which was 94.3% higher than for those without a diagnosis.
· Unsecured Firearms: Unsecured firearms in the home increase the risk of suicide death. In 2023, firearms were involved in 73.3 percent of veteran deaths by suicide, compared to 52.9 percent of suicides of non-veteran U.S. adults.
· Homelessness: In 2023, the suicide rate among veterans in VHA care with diagnoses of homelessness was 146 percent higher than for those without diagnoses of homelessness.
The American Legion’s Be the One veteran suicide prevention mission seeks to reduce the stigma associated with mental health treatment, providing free suicide prevention training and empowering everyone to take appropriate action when a veteran or servicemember may be at risk. Learn more or signup for one of our virtual Be the One training sessions at betheone.org.
- Be the One