During my service, I was trained to collaborate with my fellow Airmen and have my buddy’s six, ensuring each person’s unique skills contributed to accomplishing the mission. We learned together and worked together, building a strong, united team.
It’s no different now that you’re out. Well, you likely don’t live with someone you served with and you probably don’t work together, either. But you can still count on them, and they can count on you, especially during a tough time, like facing a suicide crisis.
Everyone plays a role in Veteran suicide prevention, and Veterans helping other Veterans is crucial to saving lives.
Identify early signs of struggle
You know your Veteran buddies. Even if you haven’t seen each other in years, that kind of connection lives forever. This closeness may help you better sense if they’re struggling. It might be something as subtle as the tone of their voice or something more obvious, like not texting or calling you back.
And though every Veteran is unique and may show different signs of crisis, there are things you should be aware of and look out for, like these crisis signs (call 911 if there’s an active threat of suicide):
- Thinking about hurting or killing themself.
- Looking for ways to kill themself.
- Talking about death, dying or suicide.
- Self-destructive behavior, such as drug abuse, risky use of weapons, etc.
Warning signs include:
- Appearing sad or depressed most of the time.
- Hopelessness.
- Anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness or mood swings.
- Feeling excessive guilt, shame or sense of failure.
- Rage or anger.
- Engaging in risky activities without thinking.
- Increasing alcohol or drug misuse.
- Losing interest in hobbies, work or school.
- Showing violent behavior, like punching a hole in the wall or getting into fights.
- Giving away prized possessions.
If you or a Veteran you know is experiencing one or more of the warning signs, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7, confidential support. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders, Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.
A conversation can help more than you think
Even though you know your buddies well and have been through a lot together, it might still be tough to find the right words when they show warning signs. And you may be afraid you’ll put the idea of suicide into their head. Just talking about suicide won’t give them the idea or increase their risk. Having a frank, direct conversation could give them the opening they’ve been waiting for to really talk about what they’re going through.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are some ideas to get the conversation going:
- “It sounds like you’re feeling so incredibly (insert appropriate feeling here—trapped, overwhelmed, betrayed, etc.). Sometimes when people feel this way, they think about suicide. Is this something you’re thinking about?”
- “When did you first start feeling like killing yourself?”
- “Did something happen that made you begin to feel like taking your life?”
You can find more tips by reading VA’s How to Start the Conversation handout.
Know which resources are available
If you’re able to connect with your Veteran buddy and they need support, the next step is finding the right resources to help. VA has a range of resources for Veterans based on sex, age, branch or types of challenges they’re facing, including the following:
- Don’t wait. Reach out. helps connect Veterans and their loved ones with resources and support for coping with all kinds of life challenges.
- Make the Connection features real stories of Veterans’ and their family members’ post-service experiences, challenges and recovery, as well as ways to find treatment and support.
- Veterans Service Organizations help Veterans and their families understand and access VA programs and benefits.
- VA’s Office of Suicide Prevention provides all sorts of suicide prevention resources, like information about secure firearm and medication storage, treatment options and tools to help Veterans work on problem-solving, managing their anger, developing parenting skills and more.
You’re critical to this mission
Your experiences have shaped who you are, and your support can make a lifesaving difference. By listening without judgment and speaking openly about suicide, you help create a stronger, more connected Veteran community. Together, we can make an impact.
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I cannot and do not support suicide prevention because we as adult human beings have the right to determine when and where we choose to die!
True fact-not that the va doesn’t know they don’t care. If they diagnose they have to spend money for treatment. Money that could be better spent fighting to justify their veteran discrimination. I have tried to get an outhouse called hayley into a program to reduce veteran suicide and vet homeless but they refused due to vet discrimination. This outhouse refuses to employ medically qualified veterans due to veteran discrimination. If the outhouse does diagnose then they would have to spend money for treatment. money that could be better spent in pay raises for the under worked over paid road employees. Not that they don’t know they don’t care. benedict Arnold had more integrity. Thenagain no one actually cares-NO news agency will investigate.
I am one of those people who currently or almost always suffer constant anxiety attacks and post-traumatic stress detachment of reality but with the loving support of my veteran wife and military “brat” adult children, handling of my mental depressions has been okay. With this experience, I can afford to share my feelings and support to those who are in need “an ear or a shoulder to lean on” when push comes to shove, I will be looking and will always be at their SIX!!!
Suicide, I have followed this subject for a number of decades. It’s always the same story written by some BS earned Social worker that has no idea how veterans function. In my opinion one of the main reasons why Vets even consider that avenue is the inability to get real medical help. We are given Rx for whatever ails us or makes our life unbearable but the issuing MD or PA seldom reads the side effect of the Rx. I am a stroke victim and was given INDOMETHACIN that has known side effects of Strokes, dizziness and loss of memory. I also suffer from vertigo, that should be self-explanatory. Then there are the delays and the now more difficult means of getting some attention. By that I mean the new and improved getting on your Healthy Vets site. Whos idea was it to change the simple approach. I do not like to talk to AI, I prefer to talk with somebody that has an active pulse.
But enough of this, my question is, does anyone care?
—
I’m from the Government. I’m here to help you.
I care. I’m a real live veteran too. I agree, and civilian doctors also just write rx’s. Big pharma and insurance companies dictate our medical care. I wish I could help you.
How do you find your Officer Candidate mates after years of no contact. I jointed the Marine Corps in Sept 1969 kept in contact into the 1980s and fell out of favor as the republican right made no sense to me.
?️?????Shalom USA /International Military and Ministry Church Blessings Feast of Abba To you and Your Families. To You As myself without Close Family in Earth. Our Glory Takes Care of US. I just wanted you to understand I wasn’t given this walk from Glory. My work From Abba very organized and Secure. From my first Reservists Military Base weekend Abba with me. Each step I walked with the Military I was nervous. Yet Abba comfort my spirit and we moved. This you guy’s witness me enduring doesn’t come from Jahovah. Do you understand. Our God is a loving God. He takes care of our every need. The most simplified of our needs. Even what we want in a husband or job or garments. Shoes flowers. The way we desire to live a a house. I’m not lieing. This you Royalty and Servants witness me enduring torment is not Jahovah. You Remember Your own footprints on the Ground. This way when Abba Carey U. You will see His Feet and His Footprints not Yours. Least U say something You can’t take back. Against The Holy Spirit. I pray U Guy’s understand why I am speaking with you this Blessed Feast of Abba.
I have found my local VA post very helpful. The VA helps many folks………………..always check in and request help……………………….IT WORKS !
Good summary of potential help sites and reviews of signs of behavioral stress. I relate to some signs. We have to keep talking
I am no longer in touch with any of my military friends but would like to help somehow. My service was Vietnam.
This is simply friendly buddy’s six advice
Jesus style
Pray for your buddy’s six
Read a scripture that encourages your buddy’s six
Sing a praise and worship song with your buddy to uplift your buddy’s six
Thanks for helping us. Keep up the good work and I’ll get back. Thank you.
God bless you
May Jesus continuously bless you and shower his love towards you
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me
Watch on YouTube, video of elevation church’s song, here now with you
this apostasy should not be allowed. It is misleading and false. Mt 16:23 Get behind me satan you are a stumbling block to me because you think not gods thoughts but those of jonathan
Most people’s Storm is our Norm! Sometimes just listening goes a long way! Be Blessed & Be a Blessing
Greetings all,
I would wager to say that anyone reading this has been touched by suicide through the death of a close friend or family member, and I am no different. During my 20 years of service and the couple of years since my retirement, I have lost some amazing comrades to suicide. Men who were decorated war hero’s, leaders, husbands and fathers, it is all such a waste.
The VA suicide prevention budget seems to rise on par with the number of veteran suicides . After I retired from the Marine Corps and attempted to see a therapist through the VA, I realized why the increase in funding did not equate to a reduction in veteran suicide. In my case, it took 10 weeks and a half a dozen letters to Congress and the VA inspector general to finally get in to talk to a real human being in person. I was embarrassed by how difficult the VA made the process of receiving care, and how ineffective the “system” is.
Like many combat veterans, I have tried all of the industry standards for mental health from prescription medication (SSRI’s), talk therapy, exposure therapy, in patient treatment, and little to none of it was worth the time, red-tape or side effects.
In December of 2024 I traveled to Mexico to attend a psychedelic therapy retreat. Speaking for me and the other five veterans I attended with, it was the single most cathartic and rejuvenating experience of my life. The work that organizations like“The Mission Within”, “Heroic Hearts” and “Beyond Service Ibogaine” perform are saving the lives of veterans every day.
I want the VA to take psychedelic therapy seriously. I want the powers that be to approve open trials for psychedelic research, and the VA to begin offering paid referrals for veterans to attend vetted and reputable psychedelic therapy centers such as the organizations I mentioned above.
Please reach out to me, I would like to share a white paper that I recently sent to my elected officials.
God bless