TAPS National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp

The TAPS National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp is a specialized gathering created specifically for families grieving a death by suicide, a loss that often carries profound shock, isolation, and unanswered questions alongside grief.

Location: San Antonio, TX
Dates: August 14-16, 2026

Each year, this seminar brings together more than 600 survivors of military loss, all of whom are navigating the complex aftermath of military suicide loss, for a powerful weekend of connection, peer support, and practical tools for healing. Through small-group mentorship, suicide-informed grief workshops, and evidence-informed programming, survivors learn skills to manage traumatic grief, process complicated emotions, reduce isolation, and begin to rebuild their lives.

Grief after suicide can feel uniquely lonely. Many families struggle with stigma, guilt, or the fear that others won’t understand their experience. For many attendees, this is the first time they are surrounded by people who truly understand the realities of suicide loss, others who can say, “me too,” without explanation or judgment. That shared understanding creates immediate safety, trust, and relief.

This seminar serves as critical postvention care and is an entry point into lifelong care, strengthening resilience and reducing risk at one of the most vulnerable times a family will ever face. Research shows that timely postvention support not only improves healing but can also help prevent further crises within families and communities.

In just one weekend, families gain what might otherwise take years to find:
- a supportive community that understands suicide loss,
- coping strategies for managing trauma, grief, and anxiety,
- trusted peer mentors who have walked a similar path, and
- a clear roadmap forward with ongoing TAPS support.

That early connection is transformative. Our outcomes show that survivors who engage quickly in peer support and skills-based care experience stronger long-term emotional health, improved stability, and reduced feelings of isolation, for both adults and children.

During the event, children attend Good Grief Camp, where they are paired one-on-one with military mentors who are trained to support children of suicide loss. Children participate in age-appropriate activities that help them process difficult feelings, build confidence, and remember their loved one with pride and connection. For many children, it is the first time they meet other kids who share a similar story. This is a powerful reminder that they are not alone.

For donors, the impact is tangible and measurable. Sponsoring the TAPS National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp helps families stabilize sooner, strengthens protective factors, reduces the risk of prolonged grief and further crisis, and equips survivors with tools that support lifelong well-being. It is an investment not just in a weekend of care, but in healing, connection, and suicide prevention for years to come.

Simply put: this is where hope begins, and where families find their way forward together.