Every year, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs publishes a report on suicide among veterans. The newest edition, the 2026 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, covers data through 2024.
The numbers are sobering. But the report also shows where care is working, and that is the part worth sharing widely. Below, we break down what the data says, what drives risk, and what veterans and the people who love them can do.
The numbers at a glance
- 6,488 veterans died by suicide in 2024, about 18 per day. That is fewer than in 2023 (6,662), but the rate remains higher than it was in 2018.
- The veteran suicide rate was 36.4 per 100,000 in 2024, down slightly from 36.6 in 2023 but up from 34.4 in 2018.
- Male veterans had a rate of 39.2 per 100,000; female veterans, 13.9.
- 62% of veterans who died by suicide in 2024 had not received care through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in the year or year before their death.
That last number stands out. Most veterans lost to suicide were not connected to VA health care. Reaching veterans where they are, in their own communities, is one of the biggest opportunities in prevention.
What drives risk
Suicide is rarely about one thing. VA reviewed contributing factors in veteran suicides from 2022 to 2024, and many are everyday struggles that can be treated or eased:
- Chronic pain (52%)
- Sleep problems (51%)
- Worsening physical health (44%)
- Relationship problems (32%)
- Feelings of hopelessness (29%)
- Financial loss (24%)
The report also found higher risk among veterans with traumatic brain injury, those facing homelessness or legal trouble, and those with mental health or substance use conditions.
One factor is especially actionable. Unsecured firearms were present in nearly a quarter of cases, and firearms were involved in 74% of veteran suicides, compared with 54% among non-veterans. Storing firearms securely, or with a trusted friend during a hard stretch, puts time and distance between a crisis and a tragedy.
Where there’s real progress
The report is clear that treatment and connection make a difference:
- Mental health care is working. Among veterans in VA care with a mental health or substance use diagnosis, the suicide rate fell 39.1% between 2001 and 2024.
- More veterans are reaching out. In fiscal year 2026, VA answered more than 1.3 million calls, chats, and texts to the Veterans Crisis Line, an increase of more than 7% over the year before.
- The transition out of service is getting safer. For veterans who separated from the military in 2023, the suicide rate in the 12 months after separation was 36.1 per 100,000, down from a high of 51.1 for those who separated in 2019.
- Community programs connect veterans to care. In 2025, VA-funded community grant programs served about 17,000 veterans, service members, and family members, a 31% increase from 2024. They also connected more than 2,600 veterans who had never used VA health care.
- Relationships protect. Married veterans in VA care had the lowest suicide rates, a reminder of how much support from family and friends matters.
The message is hopeful: when veterans get connected to care and community, outcomes improve.
A treatment option many veterans haven’t heard of
Depression is one of the most treatable conditions behind suicide risk, but not everyone responds to medication or talk therapy. For those veterans, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is worth knowing about.
TMS is an FDA-cleared, non-invasive treatment for depression. It uses magnetic pulses to stimulate the areas of the brain involved in mood. There’s no anesthesia, no downtime, and patients drive themselves to and from sessions.
VA has invested in TMS for years. It runs a national TMS program, and in a large VA study of veterans, 65% of those with PTSD alongside depression saw a clinically meaningful drop in PTSD symptoms after treatment.
Many veterans don’t know the VA can cover TMS. With a referral from their VA provider, eligible veterans can receive TMS covered by VA, including from community providers through the VA Community Care program.
Junction Brain Health is a veteran-founded VA Community Care provider with clinics in Grand Junction, Colorado; Boise, Idaho; and North Spokane, Washington. Getting started is simple: ask your VA provider to refer you to Junction Brain Health for TMS through Community Care. Once we receive the referral, a Patient Advocate will reach out to guide you through every step.
If you’re a veteran who has tried treatment for depression without enough relief, ask your VA provider whether TMS is right for you and request a referral.
How you can help
VA calls suicide prevention everyone’s responsibility, and small actions count:
- Check in. A call or text to a veteran friend or family member can matter more than you know.
- Talk about treatment. Let veterans know depression is treatable and that options like TMS exist.
- Encourage secure storage. Locking up firearms and medications saves lives.
- Share resources. Make sure the veterans in your life know where to turn.
If You’re a Veteran Reading This
Thank you for your service. If you’ve noticed changes in your mood, memory, focus, or sleep, or if you’ve been feeling down for a while, you don’t have to sort it out alone. At Junction Brain Health, we’re here to listen and help you find answers.
If you’re in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, help is available right now. Dial 988, then press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line, or text 838255. If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.
Ready to explore TMS? Find more information on our website or call (844) 537-6747 if you have any questions.