Interpersonal precipitants are associated with suicide intent communication among United States Air Force suicide decedents

•Nearly half of USAF suicide decedents communicated intent within 30 days of death, of which the majority communicated their suicide intent within 24 h of death.•Decedents with interpersonal precipitants were significantly more likely than those without to communicate suicide intent.•Decedents with documented legal/administrative precipitants were equally likely as those without to communicate suicide intent.•Controlling for legal/administrative precipitants, decedents with interpersonal precipitants were twice as likely to communicate suicide intent communication.•Suicide intent communicators and non-communicators did not differ on demographics.