Suicide among service members, veterans, and their families is a public health and national security crisis. Far too many of our nation’s veterans and service members have died at their own hands, an overwhelming majority of them as the result of a firearm. Since 2010, more than 65,000 veterans have died by suicide – more than the total number of deaths from combat during the Vietnam War and the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. These women and men volunteered to serve their country, often in dangerous conditions. We owe them, their families, and their fellow service members and veterans a better, more coordinated response to address the military and veteran suicide crisis.
Suicide is a complex problem, with no single cause and no single solution. But it is preventable. Given the multiple factors that may lead to suicide, preventing suicide requires a comprehensive public health approach that harnesses the full breadth of the federal government. (Continue reading here…)