WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wounded Warrior Project is urging families and communities to identify suicide risks among veterans before they escalate into crises, citing survey data showing more than one-quarter of warriors it surveyed experienced suicidal thoughts during the previous year.
The nonprofit’s latest Warrior Survey found more than 1 in 4 respondents reported suicidal thoughts, while Department of Veterans Affairs data cited by the organization show an average of 17 veterans die by suicide each day.
That rate translates to more than 6,200 deaths annually, underscoring the scale of a problem that Wounded Warrior Project, or WWP, argues requires earlier intervention rather than relying primarily on crisis response.
“Suicide risk doesn’t discriminate,” Lyndsay Tkach, mental and brain services director at WWP, said. “It can touch any service member, veteran, or family, often in ways that are not immediately visible.”
Military service can expose people to circumstances associated with elevated suicide risk, according to WWP. Those factors aren’t limited to combat and can include physical injuries, moral injury, survivor’s guilt and difficulties adjusting to civilian life.
Other potential risk factors include isolation, financial strain, traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, the organization stated.
WWP distinguishes those underlying vulnerabilities from more immediate warning signs, which can include changes in mood or behavior, increased risk-taking or comments suggesting someone is contemplating a future in which they will no longer be present.
“The focus is often on intervention, but we’re often missing a critical piece of the conversation,” Tkach said. “A veteran may not reach out until a crisis is already happening.”
The organization is encouraging relatives and friends who are concerned about someone to discuss suicide directly rather than avoiding the subject. WWP recommends explaining observed changes, acknowledging the person’s experience and asking explicitly whether they are thinking about suicide or ending their life.
Those conversations should emphasize listening rather than attempting to diagnose the person or provide therapy, according to WWP. The organization argues that social connection and early support can serve as protective factors for people experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Transitioning from military to civilian life can present another period of heightened difficulty as veterans lose the structure, stability and social networks associated with military service, WWP stated.
The nonprofit provides suicide-prevention education intended to teach participants how to recognize warning signs, discuss suicide directly and develop plans to address immediate safety concerns.
“By increasing the number of individuals trained to recognize warning signs and provide effective, evidence-based prevention, intervention, and postvention support, Wounded Warrior Project is working to ensure that veterans at risk of suicide have more opportunities to interact with individuals who are informed about suicide risk,” Tkach said.
WWP’s broader strategy is to shift more attention toward identifying risks and strengthening support systems before someone reaches an acute crisis.
“The goal isn’t to respond when we see the crisis, but to ensure no veteran has to face that crisis alone in the first place,” Tkach said.
Veterans and others experiencing a suicidal crisis or emotional distress can call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1, or text “HELP” to 838255. Support is available around the clock.
More information about Wounded Warrior Project’s suicide-prevention efforts is available at https://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/prevent-suicide.
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