Written by: Vickie Sullivan | May 28, 2024
Thoughts About Memorial Day: An Unnecessary Sacrifice
One of the many signs of aging is how fast time flies by. Can’t believe we just kicked off summer with another Memorial Day weekend.
While this holiday honors those who gave their lives on the battlefield, I think it’s time to broaden the timeline and the definition of sacrifice as it pertains to the U.S. military. Let me explain:
The suicide rate for active-duty soldiers is rising. It increased from 75 in the first quarter of 2022 to 94 in the first quarter of 2023, according to the Defense Suicide Prevention Office. The branch with the highest rate is the Army.
And the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report says in 2021, 6,392 veterans died by suicide, 114 more than in 2020. On average, 17.5 veterans take their lives every day.
This sacrifice is not necessary.
Preventing Military and Veteran Suicide
I can’t think of a better way to honor those who died in battle than to help their living brothers and sisters and prevent them from taking their own lives. To achieve that, the American Foundation for Suicide Preventionencourages the swift passage of the following legislation:
- The Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach (CVSO) Act (H.R.984/S.106) will authorize the first direct source of federal funding for tribal and county Veteran service officers.
- The CAREERS Act (S.10) will help the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hire and retain medical staff, including mental health professionals.
- The Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act(H.R.3722/S.132) will assist service members in transition away from active-duty military service and support Veterans in their first year of transition into civilian life.
To help with that, contact your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives and ask them to support that legislation.
And as we think about future Memorial Day holidays, perhaps the best way to honor military members killed in battle is to save those still on the job and those who came home.
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