TAPS Military Casualty Grief Resources
TAPS, supporting military casualties since 1994, offers free 24/7 guidance to the Department of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) on military and veteran deaths. This site provides comprehensive resources for navigating grief, practical arrangements, and emotional healing after a military loss. Tailored to diverse needs, TAPS stands with our partners in military casualty, spanning branches, circumstances, relationships, and duty statuses, including National Guard and Reserve, offering continuous support to those grieving the death of a military loved one or a member of the military community.
Connect to TAPS 
How TAPS Helps 
Suicide Postvention 
Documents
Online Briefing
More InformationThank you for honoring our fallen heroes by connecting all those grieving the death of a military loved one or veteran with TAPS. We are here for you with resources and support.
SHARE THE MISSION
Share the TAPS mission to inform all survivors of the resources and grief and trauma support available to them — this includes survivors not eligible for government benefits (parents, siblings, significant others, unmarried partners, ex-spouses, etc.).
ASSESS SURVIVOR NEEDS
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Suicide Biohazard Cleaning (if not already covered)
- Immediate Emotional Support (peer-based and clinical)
- Safe Messaging for Media, Service Members, and Families
- Age-Appropriate Guidance for Children
CONTACT TAPS
- Option 1: Call the TAPS National Military Survivor Helpline at 800-959-TAPS (8277).
- Option 2: Complete the Connect a Survivor to TAPS online form.
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How TAPS Helps: Expertise on Military Grief
TAPS is here for all those grieving the death of a military loved one. Regardless of their relationship to the deceased, manner of death, or the duty status of their loved one at the time of death, TAPS is here for all.
Federal Military Casualty Resources
The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recognize TAPS as the authoritative expert in military grief, bereavement, trauma, suicide postvention, and more. TAPS and TAPS leadership, staff, and Advisory Board members are cited within multiple publications written specifically for the military and veteran community on navigating the aftermath of a death.
- The Days Ahead: Essential Papers for Families of Deceased Service Members — U.S. Department of Defense, Military OneSource
- Planning Your Legacy: VA Survivors and Burial Benefits Kit — U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Postvention Toolkit for a Military Suicide Loss — U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Suicide Prevention Office
- Reserve Component Suicide Postvention Plan: A Toolkit for Commanders — U.S. Department of Defense, Reserve Affairs
- Survivor’s Journey Checklist — U.S. Deparment of Defense, Military OneSource
- Community Care Provider Resources and Reference Library — U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
- Survivor Milestone Trifold — Military OneSource
TAPS Briefing
TAPS honors all who served and died. TAPS offers a wide range of expertise, services and programs for military survivors, walking alongside them in their grief journey. Download this briefing for information on TAPS mission, vision, values, impact, core services and more.
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Death by Suicide
This Postvention Toolkit for a military suicide loss was created for military leadership in partnership with TAPS subject-matter experts.
YouTube Video: 15 minutes, 30 seconds
Unit Stabilization After Suicide Loss
U.S. Department of Defense Postvention Toolkit for a Military Suicide Loss
YouTube Video: 3 minutes, 21 seconds
Navy SEAL Frank Larkin on Death by Suicide
PsychArmor Training (30 minutes): Unit Stabilization After Suicide Loss
PsychArmor Training (30 minutes): Treating Grief in the Veteran Population
YouTube Video: 1 minute, 25 seconds
Words matter. How we talk about suicide matters.
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Below is a list of downloadable documents produced by the TAPS Suicide Prevention and Postvention department.
- For Media: Best Practices for Reporting on Suicide
- Safe Messaging Guide: Talking about Suicide
- How to Talk to Children about Suicide
- Postvention Stabilization for Military Leaders and Units After a Suicide Death
- From Grief to Growth: Healing After a Suicide Loss Guidebook
- Suicide Prevention & Postvention Program Information Card
- TAPS Suicide Postvention ModelTM
- TAPS Suicide Postvention ModelTM Poster
- 10 Things We Know to be True: Surviving Suicide Loss
- Safety Plan Worksheet
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Need some printable resources? Please email TAPS Military Casualty at militarycasualty@taps.org with your shipping address, and we will be glad to send along printed copies.
- TAPS Information Card
- TAPS 24/7 National Military Survivor Helpline Card
- TAPS Model of Bereavement Care — Read View
- TAPS Model of Bereavement Care — Spread View
- TAPS Partnership with Military Casualty — Read View
- TAPS Partnership with Military Casualty — Spread View
- How to Tell the Children — safe messaging for children of all manners of death
- TAPS Programs and Services for Survivors
- TAPS Magazines — sent free to all survivors and supporters every quarter
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Request a free online briefing for Military Casualty Representatives by calling 800-959-TAPS (8277) or by emailing one of the following addresses:
- TAPS Military Casualty: militarycasualty@taps.org
- U.S. Army: USA@taps.org
- U.S. Navy: USN@taps.org
- U.S. Marine Corps: USMC@taps.org
- U.S. Air Force and Space Force: USAF@taps.org
- U.S. Coast Guard: USCG@taps.org
- National Guard Bureau: NGB@taps.org
- Army National Guard: ARNG@taps.org
- Air National Guard: ANG@taps.org
- TAPS Information: info@taps.org
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More Information
TAPS Institute for Hope and Healing® support military survivors in their grief.
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Photo Credits: Banner image and three Airmen with folded flags on this page are U.S. Army photos by Elizabeth Fraser at Arlington National Cemetery.
Psych Armor Training Modules created in partnership with Psych Armor, TAPS Subject-Matter Experts and Dr. Craig Bryan.