Veterans' advocates are raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) spending on suicide prevention, calling for new leadership and accountability in addressing the rising suicide rates among veterans.

Despite millions of dollars allocated to combat veteran suicides each year, these efforts have yet to yield significant results.

This has prompted a call for action from prominent advocacy organizations like the Grunt Style Foundation and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), who are now urging newly confirmed VA Secretary Doug Collins to investigate how funds are being spent and why the crisis persists.

The VA allocated an estimated $571 million for suicide prevention initiatives in Fiscal Year 2024, which runs from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. Furthermore, the VA has requested additional funding for the upcoming fiscal year.

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Yet, these funds have not translated into a noticeable reduction in the number of veteran suicides. Advocates are questioning the efficacy of the programs in place and whether the money is being used effectively to curb the ongoing crisis.

Tim Jensen, president of the Grunt Style Foundation, expressed his frustration with the current state of affairs. "We’re looking at 156,000 of our brothers and sisters that have taken their lives over the last 20 years. That is just frankly unacceptable," Jensen told Task & Purpose.

The Grunt Style Foundation has been at the forefront of this issue, emphasizing that more needs to be done to address the root causes of veteran suicide and the treatment options available to those in need.

In response to the mounting concerns, the Grunt Style Foundation has teamed up with the Veterans of Foreign Wars to explore alternative approaches to suicide prevention, particularly focusing on mental health treatment for veterans, including promoting therapies for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Robert Couture, a spokesperson for the VFW, highlighted the importance of reducing the stigma surrounding mental health.

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"We want to be really intentional about that, and we want to be more action-oriented in this partnership,” Couture explained. “We have these very clear objectives that we’re looking to focus on. It’s really to develop joint campaigns to educate veterans, their families, and the public about the importance of mental health and available support services."

The VFW, the oldest and largest veterans’ service organization in the country, has more than 1.4 million members and has long advocated for better mental health resources for veterans. Grunt Style, a relatively newer organization that launched in 2021, focuses on mental health, food security, and the transition from military service to civilian life.

One of the central questions both groups are pressing the VA to address is how its funding is being used.

"What is the VA doing with the money, and are they doing what’s smart and what’s best for veterans and not just continuing to throw money at a problem?" Couture said. "What’s the results? That’s what they’re taking the lead on."

These concerns will likely take center stage during the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs annual hearing with Veteran Service Organizations, scheduled for the end of February. The Grunt Style Foundation and VFW representatives plan to testify, urging lawmakers to look more closely at the VA’s suicide prevention initiatives and the need for better oversight.

They will also advocate for broader systemic changes, such as limiting the overmedication of veterans and exploring alternative therapies like hyperbaric oxygen treatment, which have shown promise in some cases but remain under-researched.

The problem of veteran suicide is alarmingly persistent. According to the VA’s latest annual suicide prevention report, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for veterans under the age of 45 in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available.

On average, 17.6 veterans took their own lives each day in 2022, an increase from 16.5 per day in 2001. The rate peaked in 2018, with an average of 18.4 veteran suicides per day. Overall, 6,407 veterans died by suicide in 2022, a slight increase from the previous year.

“The number continues to rise despite all of the actions, efforts, and money and resources being put towards these things,” Jensen lamented. “At this point, I think it is just responsible for any member of this community to ask the pertinent question: where is this money going?”

The VA’s own suicide prevention website states that the department is “dedicated to reducing Veteran suicide rates,” but it also acknowledges that “roughly half of all Veterans in the United States don’t receive services or benefits from VA.”

To counter this, the VA collaborates with external partners and community groups to reach veterans where they are and offer support. This includes providing resources like the Veterans Crisis Line and covering healthcare costs for veterans at risk of harming themselves.

However, despite these efforts, suicide rates among veterans remain disproportionately high compared to the general population. The VA’s report notes that the average number of suicide deaths among all American adults, including veterans, rose from 81 per day in 2001 to 131.2 per day in 2022.

Advocates argue that the VA’s suicide prevention strategies, while well-intentioned, are not enough. The rising suicide rates suggest that a change in approach is needed—one that not only allocates more resources but also ensures those resources are used effectively.

As the Grunt Style Foundation and VFW push for increased accountability, the pressure is on the VA and its new leadership to respond to these concerns with tangible solutions and a renewed commitment to the health and well-being of America’s veterans.

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