Cohen Veterans Network Unveils "Have Her Six" Campaign to Combat Suicide Crisis Among Military Women

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Sep 09, 2025, 07:56 ET

With support from Face the Fight®, new national public awareness campaign provides suicide prevention strategies tailored to women service members and veterans

STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Suicide is a critical issue for women who serve in the U.S. military. Women veterans experience suicide rates 92 percent higher than their civilian peers and were 144 percent more likely to die by firearm suicide in 2022. To address this crisis, Cohen Veterans Network (CVN), with support from Face the Fight, is launching Have Her Six: Prevent Military Women Suicide during Suicide Prevention Month this September. Rooted in the military phrase "got your six" (meaning "I've got your back"), the public awareness campaign highlights the urgent issue of suicide among military women, provides prevention strategies tailored to women service members and veterans, and encourages greater support for women who serve.

As a woman veteran and CVN clinician, Laillah shares what it means to #HaveHerSix: standing by her sisters in and out of uniform, breaking the silence on mental health, and ensuring no woman veteran feels alone.

Suicide is a critical issue for women who serve in the U.S. military. This September, during Suicide Prevention Month, Cohen Veterans Network (CVN), with support from Face the Fight, is launching Have Her Six: Prevent Military Women Suicide. Rooted in the military phrase “got your six” (meaning “I’ve got your back”), the public awareness campaign highlights the urgent issue of suicide among military women, provides prevention strategies tailored to women service members and veterans, and encourages greater support for women who serve.

Women veterans are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. veteran population, with over 2 million today. But this growth comes with a troubling reality: suicide rates among women veterans are 92% higher than those of civilian women, and in 2022, they were 144% more likely to die by firearm suicide than non-veteran women. Despite these alarming statistics, suicide prevention strategies often fail to address the unique needs and risks faced by military women. New research from Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) underscores the importance of tailored solutions. Together, we can step up for women veterans and ensure they receive the care they deserve. #HaveHerSix

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/cohen-veterans-network/9351951-en-cohen-vet-network-have-her-six-campaign-combats-military-women-suicide

"Every day, Cohen Veterans Network is dedicated to providing women veterans and service members with high-quality, accessible mental health care tailored to their unique needs," said Dr. Anthony Hassan, president and CEO of Cohen Veterans Network. "With the Have Her Six campaign, we aim to extend that support beyond our clinics—equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools to help save lives."

Key components of the campaign include:

#HaveHerSix Video Series - Real stories and suicide prevention strategies from women veterans and advocates.
Have Her Six: Minutes to Reduce Her Risk - An interactive online tool offering suicide prevention strategies, including lethal means safety.
Military Women Resource Hub - Information, resources and support for women service members, veterans and their networks.

The campaign builds on CVN's commitment to addressing the mental health needs of military-affiliated women. CVN recently released the evidence-based Lethal Means Counseling for Military-Affiliated Women toolkit for clinicians, informed by a Gap Analysis conducted by the CVN Institute for Quality (CVN-IQ), the network's research division. It highlighted rising suicide rates among women veterans, with firearms as the most common method, and identified gaps in prevention efforts. Have Her Six incorporates these insights to drive awareness, improve prevention, and enhance support for military women.

"Suicide prevention requires collective action," said Justin Schmitt, AVP of Corporate Impact at USAA, which established Face the Fight alongside founding partners Reach Resilience and the Humana Foundation. "We are grateful to support the Have Her Six campaign, which empowers military women and their support networks to take meaningful steps toward prevention."

Since 2016, CVN has provided care to more than 89,000 clients in over 800,000 clinical sessions. Women represent approximately 32 percent of the network's active duty and veteran clients—double the proportion of female veterans in the U.S. veteran population. CVN addresses a range of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, military transition challenges, adjustment issues, PTSD, anger, grief and loss, family issues, relationship challenges, and children's behavioral problems. Care is available through the network's 22 Cohen Clinics serving 20 states in-person and via CVN Telehealth, face-to-face video therapy.

For more information and resources, visit cohenveteransnetwork.org/HaveHerSix.

ABOUT COHEN VETERANS NETWORK

Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) is a 501(c)(3) national not-for-profit philanthropic organization for post- 9/11 veterans, active duty service members and their families. CVN focuses on improving mental health outcomes, operating a network of outpatient mental health clinics in high-need communities, in which trained clinicians deliver holistic evidence-based care to treat mental health conditions. It was established in 2016 by philanthropist Steven A. Cohen with a commitment of $275 million to build the network. Learn more about CVN at cohenveteransnetwork.org.

ABOUT FACE THE FIGHT^®

Launched in 2023 by founding partners USAA, Reach Resilience and the Humana Foundation, Face the Fight has made strides by bringing together a like-minded coalition of organizations to help reduce veteran suicide through a multi-pronged approach that includes charitable giving, public education and awareness. Face the Fight is committed to supporting every veteran, regardless of their unique needs and challenges, and aspires to dramatically reduce veteran suicide. wefacethefight.org.

SOURCE Cohen Veterans Network