Veteran Suicide Rate Could Spike Further After COVID-19

Veterans and experts warn the isolation, coupled with a lack of resources to begin with, could have dire consequences.

Pasha Palanker spent 17 years serving in the Army. During that time, he suffered countless injuries. But the physical wounds weren’t the worst of it.  “You're so far from the person that you used to be. It feels like it's too late, like nothing can be done," Palanker said. He was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, known as PTSD. It’s a condition that’s frequently associated with veterans, and the alarming suicide rate among them. The latest data show the number of veteran suicides rose over 6 percent from 2005 to 2018. That’s despite a decrease in the veteran population during the same time.