Suicide prevention is never a topic that gets easier to explore, but it’s one that remains important within the military community and as a whole in America. Using a firearm for suicide is an unfortunate downside to the right to bear arms, and anything that helps those suffering from mental health issues is a huge positive for us all. VA gun locks provide not only great firearm safety to your gun collection, but they can also help make a last-second difference that can save a life. Learn more about how the VA gun lock program saves lives and the resources that are available. Read next:We Surveyed 1,001 Veterans About Gun Control, Here’s What They Said

How Does the VA Buy Gun Locks?

VA gun locks play an important role in helping Veterans and active-duty military members gain extra time to collect their thoughts and avoid acting drastically on impulse. Since 2008, following in the footsteps of Project ChildSafe, the VA has provided gun locks to help better protect families and prevent suicides among Veterans. While the actual accounting practices of the VA may be a bit complex, as funding comes from Congress, this money is going towards preventative measures, such as promoting the use of a gun locker or gun lock, so it’s a worthwhile investment. The unfortunate truth about firearm suicide risk among Veterans and service members points to unsettling facts connecting the two. Both groups are more prone to use a firearm to die by suicide than other adult civilian demographics. Gun case locks and other methods of securing guns are great ways to keep everyone safe, and while this can often be overlooked, sometimes that includes keeping the firearm’s owner safe from themselves.

VA Keep It Secure

The Department of the Navy’s Office of Force Resilience in conjunction with the VA’s Keep It Secure program is helping installations for both the Navy and Marines Corps receive hundreds of thousands of gun locks. Though this particular program is aimed at the Naval branches of the U.S. military, such programs are available to all of those in the military community. The VA’s lethal means safety & suicide prevention provides a number of safeguards to help protect innocent people, such as children and Veterans, from harming themselves. In addition to providing Veterans with safer storage options for both firearms and medication, the VA provides mental health workers who may be able to pinpoint issues, as well. There are also resources available to connect with mental health professionals for those who are struggling, as well as guidance in removing firearms from their homes when dealing with complex, serious emotions. Suicidal thoughts can be impulsive by nature, and giving Veterans time to think before they act is a key goal of VA gun locks and similar programs. An intervention takes time, and giving Veterans more time for that opportunity, as well as resources, will hopefully lead to fewer suicide attempts. Contact information for the Military/Veterans Crisis Line is provided on each VA gun lock. If you or a loved one is in need of such preventive measures, VA gun locks can be found at your VA primary care team, your VA Medical Center’s suicide prevention coordinator, Fleet and Family Support Centers, and Marine Corps Community Services spaces.

VA Gun Locks, Resources, and Disturbing Trends

It’s not fair to speculate on deaths with ongoing investigations, but at least one recent death has been determined as a suicide, while the morale of the Navy as a whole has been in question as of late. The Army is also facing its own disturbing trends with mental health, considering 2021 was one of its worst years in terms of its suicide rate. Texting or calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 is a great start, but it's also been noticed that the Navy has had issues not sharing the Military/Veterans Crisis Line on its website. VA gun locks aren’t going to fix everything, but they're a great start. Anything that provides a path to a licensed, professional mental health worker while also buying those dealing with such thoughts a bit more time is a great thing for everyone involved. Suggested read:New Veteran Suicide Report Shows Positive News