The Precarious Trifecta: The Interplay Between Traumatic Brain Injury, Moral Injury, and the Military-to-civilian Transition on Veteran Suicide Risk 1182

Suicide of military veterans is considered a significant public health challenge, as military veterans are at a 57% higher risk of dying by suicide than the general population. While many providers understand that posttraumatic stress disorder and substance abuse increase suicide risk in the veteran population, less emphasis is placed on the impacts of traumatic brain injury (TBI), transitioning out of the military, and moral injury on risk of dying by suicide. This symposium will highlight the importance of evaluating suicide risk in military veterans with traumatic brain injury who endorse moral injury. It will demonstrate the need to provide treatment for moral injury during the military-to-civilian transition to provide healthy tools to reduce suicide ideation. By understanding how traumatic brain injury, the military-to-civilian transition, and moral injury impact suicide risk in military veterans, we can better provide specific treatments to address the etiology of symptoms and prevent suicide attempts.