There are approximately 25 million veterans in the United States and 5 million veterans who receive care within VHA. Based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicating suicide rates in men between the ages of 20 and 65 approximating 20 per 100,000 persons per year, VHA mental health officials estimate 1,000 suicides per year among veterans receiving care within VHA and as many as 5,000 per year among all living veterans. To better understand the characteristics of suicide in veterans, we reviewed studies on suicide in the general population.