Key Takeaways
- 65% of Veteran suicides in 2021 were among those not using VA services
- White Veterans comprised 77% of Veteran suicides in 2021
- Black Veterans had suicide rate of 22.4 per 100,000 in 2021
- Suicide prevention coordinators now in 100% of VA facilities since 2018
- Veterans Crisis Line answered 5.2 million calls since 2007, preventing countless suicides
- VA mental health visits up 50% since 2010, correlating with rate declines
- In 2021, there were 6,392 Veteran suicides, representing a rate of 27.3 per 100,000 Veterans
- Veterans accounted for 13.3% of all U.S. suicide deaths in 2021 despite comprising only 6.5% of the adult population
- The suicide rate among male Veterans aged 18-34 was 41.0 per 100,000 in 2021
- PTSD diagnosed Veterans 4x more likely to attempt suicide
- Veterans with depression have 3.7 times higher suicide risk
- TBI history increases suicide risk by 3 times in Veterans
- Veteran suicide rates increased 36% from 2001 to 2021
- From 2005-2021, Veteran suicide rate rose from 20.3 to 27.3 per 100,000
- Post-9/11 Veteran rates stable since 2015 at ~25 per 100,000
In 2021, 6,392 Veteran suicides occurred, often among those not using VA care and at higher rates.
Demographics
Demographics Interpretation
Prevention
Prevention Interpretation
Rates and Prevalence
Rates and Prevalence Interpretation
Risk Factors
Risk Factors Interpretation
Trends
Trends Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Veterans Suicide Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/veterans-suicide-statistics
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Veterans Suicide Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/veterans-suicide-statistics.
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Veterans Suicide Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/veterans-suicide-statistics.
Sources & References
- Reference 1VAva.gov
va.gov
- Reference 2PTSDptsd.va.gov
ptsd.va.gov
- Reference 3CDCcdc.gov
cdc.gov
- Reference 4RANDrand.org
rand.org
- Reference 5RURALHEALTHruralhealth.usask.ca
ruralhealth.usask.ca
- Reference 6NEWSnews.va.gov
news.va.gov
- Reference 7HUDUSERhuduser.gov
huduser.gov
- Reference 8SAMHSAsamhsa.gov
samhsa.gov
- Reference 9NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.gov
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Reference 10JAMANETWORKjamanetwork.com
jamanetwork.com
- Reference 11BLSbls.gov
bls.gov
- Reference 12AJPHajph.aphapublications.org
ajph.aphapublications.org
- Reference 13SLEEPFOUNDATIONsleepfoundation.org
sleepfoundation.org
- Reference 14MISSIONROLLCALLmissionrollcall.org
missionrollcall.org
- Reference 15ZEROSUICIDEzerosuicide.com
zerosuicide.com







