WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • The VA counted 6,488 veteran suicide deaths in 2024, averaging 17.7 deaths each day.
  • The department revised its 2023 veteran suicide total upward from 6,398 to 6,662 deaths.
  • Suicide rates fell 4.8% among veterans enrolled for VA health benefits but rose 3.7% among those not enrolled.
  • Calls and texts to the Veterans Crisis Line increased 7% during the 2026 fiscal year, reaching roughly 1.3 million conversations.

The suicide rate among military veterans changed little in 2024 despite continued efforts to reduce the toll, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ latest annual report. Nearly 18 veterans died by suicide every day during the year.

The report counted 6,488 veteran suicide deaths in 2024. That total was slightly below the revised 2023 figure of 6,662 deaths.

Released last week, the report examined veteran suicide trends from 2001 through 2024, the latest year for which the VA has data. It also added close to 300 deaths to the department’s previously released estimate for 2023.

The VA’s February report had said 6,398 veterans died by suicide in 2023. The new report raised that figure by 264 deaths after the department received additional information.

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A note accompanying the findings said the changes reflected new information about 2023 deaths collected after the earlier report was published. The average number of veteran suicides declined from 18.2 per day in 2023 to 17.7 per day in 2024.

Firearms were the method used most often by both male and female veterans, accounting for 74.3% of veteran suicide deaths in 2024. Suffocation was the next most common method, while suicide overall ranked as the 11th leading cause of death among veterans that year.

The highest suicide rates appeared among younger veterans between ages 18 and 34, continuing a pattern identified in recent reports. Rates also rose among female veterans ages 55 through 74 and male veterans ages 75 and older, while rates declined for other age groups.

Enrollment in Veterans Health Administration services was linked to another notable difference in the data. Veterans enrolled for VA health benefits experienced a 4.8% decline in suicide rates from 2023, while the rate among veterans who were not enrolled increased 3.7%.

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Most veterans who died by suicide had some level of contact with the VA during the previous five years. Even so, the report showed substantial differences between veterans and adults who had not served.

The suicide rate for male veterans was 56.5% higher than the rate for nonveteran adult men. Among female veterans, the rate was 99.9% higher than it was for nonveteran women.

Homelessness remained a major contributing factor among veterans receiving VA care. The suicide rate for veterans experiencing homelessness was 118.5% higher than for veterans who were not homeless, down from a difference of 146% in 2023.

Recent traumatic brain injuries also figured prominently in the findings. Veterans with recent TBIs had a suicide rate 111% higher than veterans without recent TBIs.

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Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said the department is seeking new ways to reach veterans who are not enrolled in the VA. Those efforts include “screening them for suicide risk and expanding suicide prevention training both inside and outside VA.”

“There is much more work to be done, however, and we will continue to improve our efforts to fight the scourge of veteran suicide,” Collins said.

The report identified some improvement over a longer timeline. Among veterans who left military service in 2023, the 2024 suicide rate was 36.1 per 100,000 people, the lowest recorded since 2016.

The highest rate for recently separated veterans since 2001 occurred in 2019, when it reached 51.1 per 100,000. The overall 2023 count of 6,662 deaths was slightly below the 6,699 recorded in 2022 and below the 2018 high of 7,015.

The VA explained that its underlying information can change, stating that data sources are “updated over time, and each annual VA suicide report includes the most current available data. Consequently, annual report information is updated and enhanced with each new report.”

During the recently completed 2026 fiscal year, calls and texts to the Veterans Crisis Line increased 7% from the previous year, reaching roughly 1.3 million conversations. Veterans Health Administration programs include suicide risk screening, interventions, safety counseling and other options.

The VA also cited efforts launched since 2025 to improve military transitions, connect veterans with the department through civilian healthcare providers and reduce veteran homelessness. The new report does not reflect those efforts, whose impact will not appear until next year’s findings.

Are you feeling overwhelmed or hopeless right now? Have you been withdrawing from people or activities you usually enjoy? Are you having thoughts about hurting yourself, or feeling like things will never improve?

You do not have to handle those feelings alone. Support is available, and talking to someone can make a difference. You can reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or by chatting online at 988lifeline.org. Trained counselors are available 24 hours a day to listen and help.

If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call emergency services right away. Even a small step, like reaching out to a trusted friend, family member, or professional, can help create a path forward.