Photo by RDNE Stock project via pexels Veteran suicide is a multifaceted issue that defies simple explanations or quick solutions. While many news stories focus on combat exposure as the primary risk factor, the reality is far more complex.
Journalists have a responsibility to dig deeper, challenging preconceptions and exploring the multitude of factors that contribute to suicide risk among veterans and service members. A glance at the data
Despite fewer and shorter combat deployments, suicide rates among U.S. military personnel and veterans remain alarmingly high. U.S. Veterans Affairs estimated that as many as 44 veterans took their own lives each day in 2021, marking an 11.6% increase compared to 2020, and a sharp increase from the often publicly cited data . This suggests that as many as 22 veteran die by suicide every day. Many veterans health advocates say the updated number may still be underestimating the crisis. The data points are limited to the ruled cause of death, which can be difficult to determine is some cases of suicide. The data also may not reflect some service members whose causes of death are not reported to the agency since they may not have been on duty status during their deaths.
And recent data from the Department of Veterans Affairs shows that the majority of service members who die by suicide have not recently deployed or never deployed at all. This paradox invites deeper exploration into the multifaceted nature of suicide risk factors that extend beyond combat exposure, and consider other significant risk factors: transition stress, financial instability, social isolation, and access to health care, or even entering service already having one or more mental health conditions. Dig deeper
By broadening the scope of reporting, we can help the public understand that veteran suicide is not just a military issue, but a complex public health challenge that intersects with civilian life in numerous ways. Suicide rates in the National Guard — the closest to civilian military force — have, for years, exceeded suicide rates among their active duty counterparts and other reservists.
The National Guard faces unique challenges contributing to their […]
One story does not fit all: How to change the narrative on veteran suicides