Congressman Derrick Van Orden | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Derrick Van Orden | Official U.S. House headshot
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressmen Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) have introduced legislation aimed at addressing the alarming suicide rates among former members of the Reserves and Guard. The bill, H.R. 6873, directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to include these individuals in their annual suicide report.
The VA's annual suicide report previously included a separate statistic on suicides of former members of the Guard and Reserve who were not federally activated. However, this statistic was omitted from the 2020 report. Van Orden, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL, emphasizes that all servicemembers, regardless of their military service capacity, deserve to have their mental health and well-being taken seriously.
Van Orden states, "I worked with National Guards and Reserves in combat, and these men and women deserve the same services as active-duty personnel because veteran suicide does not discriminate on the nature of one’s military service." He further adds, "By reinstating former members of the Reserves and the Guard in the Veterans’ Affairs annual suicide report, we will have a more comprehensive understanding of veterans’ mental health and can better identify ways to combat veterans’ suicide and get them the support they need."
Chief Deputy Whip Reschenthaler echoes the sentiments, emphasizing the duty America has to ensure that those who served the country in uniform have access to the same mental health resources at home as they did on the battlefield. He states, "That begins with an accurate count of these tragedies so we can work towards combatting them."
Rep. Kilmer, a Co-Chair of the House Military Mental Health Task Force, shares his commitment to addressing the mental health challenges faced by service members, including those in the Reserves and National Guard who were not federally activated during their service. He highlights the critical gap in understanding and support for these individuals and emphasizes the need to acknowledge and address this crisis. Kilmer states, "We owe it to every person who has served our nation in the armed forces, in any capacity, to ensure they receive the mental health support they need and deserve."
According to the 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, there were 538 suicides among former members of the Armed Forces who were never activated for federal military service in 2018, averaging 1.5 suicide deaths per day. The inclusion of these statistics in the VA's annual report will provide Congress with a more comprehensive understanding of the issue and enable the development of targeted interventions to address the crisis.
Van Orden, Kilmer, and Reschenthaler are co-chairs of the House Military Mental Health Task Force, which focuses on military mental health and suicide prevention. Through their collaboration with subject matter experts, dissemination of information, and provision of resources, they aim to raise awareness and support for America's former and current service members and their families.
The introduction of H.R. 6873 marks an important step towards combatting the high suicide rates among former members of the Reserves and Guard. By including these individuals in the VA's annual suicide report, Congress can gain a clearer understanding of the challenges they face and work towards providing the necessary support and resources to prevent further tragedies.
To learn more, click on this link: https://vanorden.house.gov/media/press-releases/van-orden-reschenthaler-kilmer-lead-effort-combat-reserve-guard-suicide-rates
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