United States military veteran suicide epidemic

The United States military veteran suicide epidemic is an ongoing phenomenon regarding a reported high rate of suicide among U.S. military veterans, in comparison to the general public. In 2013, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs released a study that covered suicides from 1999 to 2010, which showed that roughly 22 veterans were committing suicide per day, or one every 65 minutes. The total number of suicides differs by age group; 31% of these suicides were by veterans 49 and younger while 69% were by veterans aged 50 and older. Critics of this reporting suggest that there is no "epidemic" when comparing similar demographic cohorts in the civilian population.

Background
6,500 former military personnel killed themselves in 2012.

Causes
A study published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine found that,

The same study also found that in veterans with PTSD related to combat experience, combat-related guilt may be a significant predictor of suicidal ideation and attempts.