The transition to civilian life has left many young veterans feeling hopeless, as suicide rates among veterans are much higher than those among the civilian population. In fact, according to (Basu, 2013), “the annual suicide rate among veterans is approximately 30 per 100,000 population, compared to 14 per 100,000 among civilians. Analysis of records from 48 states found that the suicide rate among veterans increased by an average of 2.6 percent annually between 2005 and 2011, more than double the rate of increase in suicide among civilians. Given that these brave men and women have given so much to protect this country, it is important to examine why suicide rates among veterans are so high and propose a possible solution to this horrific problem. Veterans face many problems that most civilians do not have. worry. Perhaps the most serious problem facing many veterans is the post-traumatic stress that can haunt a soldier who was afraid of being deployed to a combat zone. This is a problem that most individuals never have to worry about and these post-traumatic experiences make most veterans more susceptible to substance abuse. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs website (ptsd.va.gov), “nearly one in three veterans seeking treatment for SUD (substance abuse disorder) also suffer from PTSD.” This is a surprising number considering the high number of war veterans who suffer from some level of post-traumatic stress. Additionally, we have learned from past conflicts that substance abuse and PTSD are linked to increased suicidal behavior. In fact (Veteran Affairs, 2005) found that "veterans over the age of 65 with PTSD are at increased risk of attempting suicide if they also experience... middle of paper ...... participate at PAAC. If the program utilizes the employment transition program, a decrease in unemployment will occur as well as a decrease in veteran suicide rates. Suicide rates among young veterans are at scandalous levels. PTSD, drug addiction, and unemployment are the main reasons why these young heroes commit suicide. To reduce these numbers and help veterans adjust to civilian life, the Department of Veterans Affairs will establish a peer support program and career transition program to help these veterans transition into civilian life. The Department of Veterans Affairs will use social workers to ensure veterans can benefit from these programs and will monitor the success rate of these programs to ensure they are successful. With these changes, we can help veterans transition into civilian life and help minimize veteran suicides..