17 is the new “22” and that’s not good.

According to a Military Times article dated yesterday, efforts a preventing suicide are still falling short among active service members. Likewise veterans. In a September, 2021 article Military Times noted the the VA numbers (two years behind and thus from 2018 and 2019), are down to about 17 Veterans’ Suicide a day and “well below the often-quoted ’22 a day’ statistic … based on an estimate used by VA officials a decade ago.” The Times further notes that, “When factoring in active-duty military, reservists and other associated groups, the total is closer to 20 a day.”

One might take issue with the language “well below” as it minimizes the damage and suggests that the improvement is somewhat acceptable. I certainly do and it isn’t. Not even remotely acceptable.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about numbers. It’s about our brothers and sisters. And the loss of 20 a day is too high.

Military suicide prevention efforts are falling short, Pentagon concedes

The number of active-duty suicides increased every year from 2015 to 2020.

Veteran suicides decreased 7 percent in 2019 to lowest level in 12 years

About 17 veterans a day died by suicide in 2019, the latest year for which data was available.