THIS SUNDAY IS 'NATIONAL WARRIOR CALL DAY' - A MAJOR PUSH TO CURTAIL MILITARY, VETERAN SUICIDES

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Nov 11, 2022, 08:30 ET

MOUNT AIRY, Md., Nov. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This Sunday, Nov. 13 is National Warrior Call Day, a coast-to-coast push that engages all Americans to help curtail suicide deaths among active-duty service members and veterans, according to the Troops First Foundation.

The effort is supported by scores of veteran advocates, Medal of Honor recipients and former leaders of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The call to action asks that all Americans — especially active duty and retired military personnel — make a call to a warrior, with someone who has worn or is currently wearing the uniform, ask how they are doing, let them know they are cherished and, if necessary, steer them toward assistance when they might otherwise slip through the cracks.

"With its simple mission of imploring all Americans to connect with someone who has worn or is currently wearing the uniform and let them know they care — National Warrior Call Day can foster greater connectivity. And greater connection can save lives," the Medal of Honor recipients wrote in a recent letter to Congress.

A pending resolution in the U.S. Senate commemorating National Warrior Call Day has at least 19 co-sponsors.

Connectivity is key to reversing the tragic suicide trends among military members. Isolation – emotionally, psychologically, physically or some combination – is a precursor to suicidal thoughts. Time is of the essence to make these connections. In addition to post traumatic stress, invisible wounds linked to an underlying and undiagnosed traumatic brain injury can mirror many mental health conditions and spark isolation and suicidal ideation.

Underpinning the push is the tragic fact that as many as two-thirds of the veterans who take their own lives are terribly disconnected and have had no contact with the Department Veterans Affairs (VA) network of services and supports.

Nationally, the suicide rate for veterans is 31.7 deaths per 100,000 people -- far eclipsing the rate for the general population at 17.3 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the VA's latest figures. The rate is dramatically greater depending on geography. The veteran suicide rate in Maine is 35.2 deaths per 100,000 residents while in Alaska it hovers at 47.1 deaths per 100,000 residents, for example.

Not just veterans are suffering. Suicide is metastasizing among active-duty service members. The Pentagon's annual report on suicide from 2020 found that for the active-duty, the rate of suicide increased from 20.3 per 100,000 in 2015 to 28.7 per 100,000 in 2020. Army marked a grim milestone as a Defense Suicide Prevention Office report revealed that the service suffered more suicides in 2021 than any other year since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Learn more about National Warrior Call Day at WarriorCall.org.

Founded in 2008, the Troops First Foundation implements initiatives that foster connectivity, build trust and address reintegration in post-9/11 warrior care. One of the foundation's programs is Warrior Call.

SOURCE Warrior Call