Hello there I'm Chuck Todd and this is the Chuck Todd cast. So last year brought some

encouraging news for the veteran community the Department of Veterans Affairs

announced that suicides by military veterans decreased in 2020 for the second year

in a row at an average of 16 suicides a day fewer veterans died by suicide in

20 20 than in any year since 2006.

According to this report and to think that that happened in a COVID year is perhaps

more encouraging. The VA counted 6,146 deaths from suicide among veterans in 2020, the most recent

year with reportable data.

343 fewer instances than the year prior and the sharpest decline in those two decades.

But advocates are saying there's more to the story.

America's Warrior Partnership, a National Suicide Prevention nonprofit, said the VA may be under

counting deaths by suicide and when factoring in unexplained or

accidental deaths as well as record-keeping mistakes it claims the real

numbers actually double what was reported by the government so it's a real

question here what the real number is and this comes as veterans have gotten a renewed focus with the war in Ukraine a month after Russia invaded its neighbor a network of US vets called the Mozart group began training Ukrainian soldiers and evacuating frontline residents.

The Mozart group eventually collapsed, but it underscored many veterans' willingness to continue

serving communities after the conclusion of their official US service.

Join now by Paul Rykoff, he's the founder of Iraq

and Afghanistan Veterans of America

and he's president of righteous media.

One of the great independent media operators out there these days.

Paul, it's good to see you.

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