The 2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report analyzes Veteran suicide data from 2001 to 2022, with 2022 being the most recent year for which data is available and has now been released. The report shows a continued increase in Veteran Suicides but at a smaller rate of increase than prior years but New Mexico’s rates exceed national averages.
The number of veterans who died by suicide in 2022 of nearly 18 per day remained steady with a slight uptick from the previous year but was down from a peak in 2018, with “encouraging” signs of progress among women and younger veterans, Veterans Affairs officials tried to spin in their most recent report.
The report contains the most comprehensive data about Veteran suicide mortality to date. Key report findings include:
In 2022, there were 6,407 suicides among Veterans and 41,484 among non-Veteran U.S. adults.
Among all U.S. adults in 2022, there were, on average, 131.2 suicides per day, with 17.6 Veteran suicides per day.
On average, seven suicides per day were among Veterans who received Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care in 2021 or 2022, and 10.6 were among other Veterans.