Veterans of the Storm Statement of Need

 veteran suicides

 Despite national efforts to reduce veteran suicide, the numbers remain stubbornly high—6,392 veteran suicides were reported in 2021, and rates remain virtually unchanged today. The traditional PTSD-focused models have not adequately addressed other conditions contributing to emotional collapse and suicide in veterans, including undiagnosed adult ADHD, Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD), emotional dysregulation, and Operator Syndrome (OS). Veterans with undiagnosed ADHD and emotional shutdown often do not present as “at risk” in traditional screening models. Many are high-functioning individuals who appear successful on the surface but experience silent collapse and emotional disconnection. These veterans are frequently misdiagnosed or cycled through multiple providers without receiving trauma-informed or neurologically appropriate care. As a result, they are at elevated risk of suicide, especially during transitional phases like post-service reintegration, career shifts, or identity loss. Our model addresses this urgent gap by providing a non-clinical, veteran-led, emotionally intelligent suicide prevention approach that screens for and treats the root issues behind emotional collapse. We emphasize nervous system regulation, peer accountability, and daily support. Without intervention like this, these high risk veterans will continue to fall through the cracks. Veterans of the Storm fills the blind spot in the current prevention system—and it’s time the system catches up.

Veteran suicide remains one of the most persistent public health crises in the United States. Despite billions invested in mental health initiatives, an average of 17 veterans die by suicide each day. In 2022 alone, 6,407 veterans died by suicide, making it the second leading cause of death for veterans under 45. These numbers have not significantly improved in over a decade. A critical gap exists: most prevention programs focus solely on PTSD, depression, or substance use. They miss the veterans who “look fine” on paper — high-functioning, disciplined, reliable — but who are silently experiencing emotional collapse. These individuals are rarely in crisis at the time of intake, making them invisible to traditional risk assessments. Veterans of the Storm (VOTS) addresses what has been missed: a rising population of veterans with undiagnosed or untreated ADHD, emotional dysregulation, and Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD). These conditions are strongly correlated with suicide risk, yet are seldom screened for in VA or community programs. In particular, Operator Syndrome (OS) — a condition characterized by emotional numbness, hormonal disruption, chronic pain, identity collapse, and sleep dysfunction — remains largely ignored in suicide prevention. Veterans experiencing OS are often shuffled between providers and labeled “treatment resistant” without anyone asking the right questions. These are the very people VOTS was designed to serve. Our program doesn’t just patch symptoms — it identifies root causes. By prioritizing daily peer contact, emotional regulation tools, and nervous system education, we’re intervening in the exact window where the system fails most: the silent phase before collapse.