National Mental Health Month is commemorated in May to spread awareness and support for individuals who may be impacted or have family or friends impacted by mental illness, and organizations like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and The American Legion frequently use the month to highlight the specific challenges and successes of veterans.
But experts say it’s an issue that’s prevalent and important, all year round, and that while it’s important for people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of mental health issues, sometimes that’s not enough. That is why organizations like Cape Fear Veterans Resilience Project and the Vietnam Veterans Association exist: to provide not only mental health referrals but community and financial support.
According to the Veterans Affairs (VA), in 2023, there were 47,711 suicides among U.S. adults. Veterans accounted for 6,398 of those deaths, 13.4% of deaths by suicide, though veterans make up only about 6% of the adult U.S. population.
In North Carolina, the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) collected data, including the suicide rates of veterans in North Carolina compared to non-veteran residents from 2019 to 2023. The NC-VDRS found 1,602 violent deaths of veterans in North Carolina, with 82.6% of those deaths being caused by suicide. Overall, the suicide rate was nearly three times higher for veterans compared to non-veterans. For veterans between the ages of 18 and 34, it was over six times higher.
Cape Fear Veterans Resilience Project
The Cape Fear Veterans Resilience Project (CFVRP), a nonprofit organization, aims to reduce veteran suicide by providing access to resources for individual and family care, including the sometimes difficult transition from military to everyday life. After its founding in 2023, the organization hit the ground running to help provide resources to veterans in Cape Fear.
“There was a group of veterans, before ‘23, who had gotten together and said, ‘You know, we want to address and reduce suicide around the veteran population here in the Cape Fear,’” said Jim Blair, president of CFVRP.
After graduating college, Blair was in the Marine Corps for six years, and later got his graduate degree and went into business. Having volunteered at Operation Chillout, a homeless veterans outreach organization where he was a treasurer, he applied his experience to increase awareness and provide services for local veterans.
CFVRP offers a vetted list of resources under four categories: social and tribe, education and training, wellness and mental health, and financial and employment. CFVRP connects active military members, veterans, and family members to the proper resources, focusing on southeastern North Carolina, including Brunswick, Pender, and New Hanover counties. Blair added that CFVRP is a resource for families to reach out if they notice family members or spouses needing support mentally, physically or financially.
“Our purpose mainly is to reduce veteran suicide by making sure that veterans and their families have access to the resources they need,” said Holly Grange, a CVFVRP board member.
Grange is a veteran and former Representative for District 20 in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
“I can proudly say that I was a proponent of many pro-veterans and pro-military bills that were actually signed into law,” she said, referring to legislation covering the transfer of licensure for military spouses and a bill that allowed oxygen chambers for PTSD and traumatic brain injury treatment.
Grange noted that suicide is still a serious issue.
“Recently, the average [in North Carolina] is about four veterans weekly committing suicide,” said Grange. “They commit suicide for a variety of reasons. Some of them are substance use victims.”
According to the National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report from last year, in 2023 there were 228 veteran suicide deaths in North Carolina, placing North Carolina as sixth out of 10 top states for veteran suicide rates.
Blair touched on the transition phase that veterans face after serving. He explains how there are three general groupings of veterans: 1) the individuals who know what they want to do (college courses, vocational, etc.), 2) individuals who have a general scope of their future plans but who are unsure or need guidance, and 3) individuals who approach the transition blindly and are not properly prepared.
“The final class of individuals is what we worry about,” said Blair.
CFVRP provides services to encourage veterans to join social groups and organizations to help them feel supported and heard.
Vietnam Veterans of America
One of these organizations in New Hanover County that provides a space for veterans to socialize and have access to resources within their community is the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 885 in Wilmington.
Curt Farrison, an 83-year-old Vietnam veteran and president of the VVA chapter in Wilmington, sat down for an interview to discuss not only what the chapter provides for the community. Farrison emphasizes the challenges that veterans face in transitioning to civilian life, especially combat veterans.
Farrison spent 12 years in the Marine Corps, including two tours in Southeast Asia, along with spending time in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Originally from Connecticut, Farrison was stationed in Jacksonville in 1961. Fast forward to 2013, Farrison was living in Connecticut, however, he and his wife decided to settle down in Leland, in Brunswick County, after experiencing a season of severe blizzards in the winter of 2012 and 2013.
The VVA is currently the largest chapter in North Carolina with approximately 300 members. The chapter started for Vietnam veterans but since then the chapter has broadened their pool due to the high demand of veterans seeking help.
“Our main goal, our main focus, is to support veterans. Veterans, we have a host of problems. We have issues that if someone doesn’t look after them and we are left alone with those issue, we do make very bad decisions,” said Farrison.
Farrison said Wilmington has a large homeless veteran population. While he said they do their best to work with them, he added that some actively chose to be on the street.
“They’ve given up on society or the system of things, and they choose to be on the streets,” Farrison said, noting that in his experience some homeless veterans prefer to stay unhoused because, in some cases, they prioritize their independence and desire not to answer to anyone else.
“When we find out a veteran needs help or that veteran’s having some difficulties in the transitioning phase, then we get them in,” said Farrison. The VVA has a team of individuals who support and help those in need.
Connecting with veterans
Farrison detailed some of the hardships that veterans encounter during the transition to civilian life.
“The hardest part about getting out of the military is it’s an unorganized life,” explained Farrison.
He elaborated on the difference between combative veterans and non-combat veterans experiencing different mental health struggles, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“Combat makes us uncertain about everything, but we’re sure that we can handle it,” he suggested.
PTSD is a mental health stress disorder that can only develop after an individual experiences a life-threatening event. Signs and symptoms can range from person to person, but it is important to be aware of them – including signs of avoidance, anger, concern, fear, or helplessness. According to NC-VDRS, a current mental health problem was involved in roughly half of all veteran suicides.
Faison said his organization can be helpful because they can relate to the veteran experience.
“That’s why we’re here, because that allows us to come in and talk to each other about our problems,” said Farrison. “There is not one single problem that a veteran can walk in here with that will either shock us or somebody sitting at that table who hasn’t had the same experience.”
Whether it’s because they pride themselves on their independence and self-reliance, or because they don’t think civilians will understand their experiences, some veterans can be harder to reach.
Blair discussed how some individuals keep to themselves, which is CFVRP main population target.
“They [veterans] don’t really want to talk about their services for whatever reason, and so, what we try to do is to try and find those, use other veterans to help identify and find them. We want to make sure that there is a way to get connected,” said Blair.
Blair emphasized the importance of county veterans service officers, whose job is to walk veterans through the various benefits that they have earned. He added that CFVRP works with other non-profits, such as Coastal Horizons, to accommodate and provide care for veterans in need.
According to the VA, since January 2025, the VA has conducted a new outreach program which has led to 33,000 unenrolled veterans signing up for VA care. The VA team has also launched the Veterans Interoperability Pledge to identify at-risk veterans and help them receive proper care, established in February 2025. The increased support doesn’t stop there – Cape Fear Veterans Resilience Project and Vietnam Veteran Association Chapter 885 are two of the many organizations that offer a space for veterans to build and sustain a supportive community.
If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, the 9-8-8 Crisis Line is available 24/7.
