YORK, Pa. — A study by America’s Warrior Partnership found that veterans take their own lives each year at a rate about 2.4 times greater than previously reported by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“The rates were startling. [Veteran suicide rates were] much higher than 17 a day. The true number we saw was closer to 44 veterans per day," said Darrell Owens with America’s Warrior Partnership.
The study looked at data from eight states and focused on male & female former service members between the ages of 18 and 64.
The data concluded that those who served in the military for less than three years were at the greatest risk for suicide. The study also found that the longer someone has served in the military, the probability of taking their own life declined.
“If you’re a guardsmen or reservist after deployment, your number, your risk factors are significantly higher than your counterparts to take your own life," said Owens.
He said that a lot of issues start once veterans get home and transition into their local community. Therefore, prevention strategies must start at the community level.
“When people come back from their service, it’s more important than ever that the communities take them in and say, ‘Hey, I know this is hard and welcome back, but how can we help, what do you need?'" said Owens.
According to the Pa. Department of Human Services, Pennsylvania is home to almost 800,000 veterans, the 4th largest veterans population in the country.