COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — On average, more than 16 veterans commit suicide every day, states a recent report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Doctors believe many of them are preventable.

A study by the Watson Institute of Brown University found 30,177 active-duty or veteran service members die by suicide after 9/11. This number is more than four times of the deaths in war operations which stands at 7052.

April is National Counseling Awareness Month and experts call for the need and importance of effective counseling in the military to minimize the suicide rate.

According to the World Health Organization, having a safe, supportive environment plays a large role in suicide prevention. But United Service Organization says in the U.S. military, a safe, supportive environment isn’t always guaranteed.

Psychotherapist Tara Fields mentioned in her book Tracer Patient that 90 percent of people who die by suicide have a potentially treatable mental health condition.

Researchers from John Hopkins University followed 5,000 participants who received therapy following a suicide attempt for up to 20 years. Their research shows that therapy worked, and participants were less likely to make another suicide attempt.