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(06/12/2025) VA researchers from Seattle and Canandaigua, New York, showed Veterans who did not receive an honorable discharge from service were more than twice as likely to die from suicide within five years of discharge as Veterans who were honorably discharged. The researchers examined data on more than 3.6 million Veterans discharged from the military between 2002 and 2021, finding 5,599 deaths by suicide. Dishonorable, bad conduct, other than honorable, general, or uncharacterized discharges were all significantly linked to an elevated risk of suicide. The highest suicide rate was in those with a general discharge, who had a nearly three-times higher rate than those with an honorable discharge. More than 80% of service members receive an honorable discharge. The findings suggest character of discharge may be a helpful risk factor to consider for suicide prevention efforts. (JAMA Network Open, May 1, 2025)