A recently released Department of Veterans Affairs report shows there were 6,398 veteran suicides in 2023, down from 6,442 in 2022.
The 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Report also found the average number of veteran suicides per day fell slightly, to 17.5 in 2023 from 17.6 in 2022.
“Veteran suicide has been a scourge on our nation for far too long,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “Most veterans who die by suicide were not in recent VA care, so making it easier for those who have worn the uniform to access the VA benefits they have earned is key.”
The findings in the report are based on 2023 death certificate data.
“In 2023, suicide was the 12th leading cause of death for veterans and suicide was the second leading cause of death for veterans under age 45 years old,” the report reads.
According to the report, the suicide rate per 100,000 veterans rose for both male and female veterans in 2023. For women, the rate rose from 13.7 to 13.9. For men, it rose from 37.3 to 37.8.
The report found that veterans in VA care diagnosed with traumatic brain injury had elevated suicide rates. In 2023, the suicide rate for those with TBI diagnoses was 77.6 per 1,000, 94 percent higher than that of veterans in VA care without a TBI diagnosis.
The suicide rate for homeless veterans enrolled in VA care was 38.8 percent higher than in 2001 and 14.3 percent higher than in 2022, the report found.
“VA recognizes that the tragic loss of life through suicide is not only a personal or family tragedy, but also a profound public health concern that resonates throughout the broader veteran community and across the nation. The importance of a public health approach to preventing suicide among veterans cannot be overstated,” the report reads.
At a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing in January, Ranking Member Ricard Blumentah (D-CT) pushed Collins for the release of the report, which usually occurs in the fall.
“Veteran suicide is one of our nation’s most serious problems,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “While we saw a decrease in the number of veterans losing their life to suicide in 2023, more needs to be done.”
He called for the safeguarding of such lifesaving resources as the Veterans Crisis Line, addressing the shortage of mental health professionals at VAand ensuring that every veteran seeking mental health care gets that care in a timely manner.
VA is also conducting a review of its suicide prevention programs to better measure their impact, expand on efforts that are delivering results, and refine programs that need improvement.
In fiscal year 2025, VA offered 1.3 million calls, chats and texts to veterans in need through the Veterans Crisis Line, a 39 percent increase over the prior year, with a veteran satisfaction rate of 97 percent.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Dial 988 then Press 1, text 838255 or online here.