Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary
Department of Oklahoma
Veterans & Family Support
Any Is Too Many: Preparing for Suicide Prevention Month
August 2026
Sandy Bassett
Chairman
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ANY IS TOO MANY!
September (next month) is Suicide Prevention Month; now is the time to plan awareness, education, and outreach.
The statistics in the 2025 report published by the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs are simply frighteningly shocking!
Published data for years 2001-2023 indicate that other than 2017, the Oklahoma rate of Veteran suicides outpaced that of the National average. In the highest published year (2023) Oklahoma lost 161 Veterans (57 per 100,000 of the population) to suicide while as a nation, 6,398 Veterans (2.5% per 100,000 of the population) succumbed to the irreversible decision; the most often utilized method was the use of a firearm.
WHY?
“Among veterans who died by suicide between 2021-2023 and whose deaths were reported by VA suicide prevention teams, the most frequently identified risk factor was pain.”
According to Philip Van Guilder, U.S. Army Veteran and American Addiction Centers Director of Community Affairs, “An important, and to some extent, newer emphasis is the role of pain as a leading risk factor. Veteran suicide is not just driven by mental health diagnoses such as PTSD or depression, but also by chronic pain, declining health, sleep disruption and loss of function—issues that can erode quality of life and sense of purpose over time, especially relevant for aging veterans, including those from the Vietnam era.” Read the article HERE
WHAT CAN WE DO?
“What saves lives is action grounded in evidence—treatments proven to reduce suicide risk, delivered at the right time, in ways veterans can access and trust," Stop Soldier Suicide CE Keith Hotle. (reprinted from THIS article) “We all have a role to play in suicide prevention. You don’t have to be an expert to talk about suicide. Direct, open, and honest communication and collaboration can be the key to saving someone’s life. Suicide is preventable.” S.A.V.E. Training video (see below).
Spot the signs
Ask the question
Validate the Veteran’s experience
Encourage and support next steps (S.A.V.E.).
The VA, in collaboration with PsychArmor provides S.A.V.E. training (click here for the printed brochure or take the approximately 11 minute online course at https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/va-s-a-v-e). This training will not make us experts, but it does provide guidance on what to look for and what to do to help our Veterans obtain the assistance they need.
The 11 minutes you spend may SAVE A PRECIOUS LIFE!
Resources for Veterans, Family & Friends (a very few among many):
Dial 988, Press 1 - Text 838255 - VA.gov/Reach
Local VA Center
Personal Physician
“Many vets think they are not eligible for VA care. Sometimes that is true (for regular health care), but any vet in crisis can use the VA for help. We can save lives. We just need to be able to touch them.” Barry Venable, Public Affairs Officer for the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.
Sandy Bassett
Veteran & Family Support Chairman