When I got out of the Army in 2009, Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan were committing suicide at a rate of roughly 12 a day. That would be one every two hours. Now they’re up to at least 22 a day. That’s almost one an hour. So here’s something I’d like you to consider; May 17th is the 137th day of the non leap year. If the rate remains the same as last year (which all evidence seems to suggest is actually increasing) at 22 Veterans a day, that means that so far this year we’ve lost 3,014 Veterans to suicide.
So, while your going about your day today I challenge you to think of a way you can help curb that number. The VA isn’t coming to save us, and the American public at large are more interested in the false operas of the Kardashians and the Mall, so I challenge each and every member of the community to come up with a way to save our brothers and sisters.
If you really support our troops, then say to yourself at some point today: 3,014, and resolve to do more than wear red or put a yellow ribbon on your car. Find something constructive to end this epidemic.