SEPTEMBER


Military Suicide Awareness Month


R


BRING AWARENESS TO THIS TRAGEDY


BY SANDI ONSTWEDDER


National Director for Americanism and Patriotic Instructor


ecently I spoke with a mother who had lost, not one, but two military


sons to suicide. “The hours, days and months pass by, but the heartache and tragedy of my loss still lingers in my every action and deed,” she confided in me. She wishes to remain anonymous, because she feels that others have already judged her and her family as dysfunctional. The truth of the matter is that she was an excellent mother, and had no idea of the path her life was going to take. As a mother myself, I can only imagine the heartache, confusion and devastating frustration she deals with on a daily basis.


Unlike the mother of these two young men, I can reach out to all of you, my fellow Sisters. If my article can inspire you as members to reach out and share that lifelines do exist, then I have carried out my program to the best of my ability. These lifelines are readily available to all service personnel, veterans and their families. When they utilize these confidential websites or phone numbers, all of their questions will be answered by professionally trained individuals. The Ladies Auxiliary VFW


is recognizing the entire month of September as Military Suicide Awareness Month. We as an organization believe that the loss of a service member or veteran to suicide is preventable. Please make a strong commitment to educate military community members and citizens everywhere that they can make a difference by offering up open communication. Don’t forget to wear


your teardrop sticker every day in September. Go to www.ladiesauxvfw.org to learn more and download a sticker template. n


SUICIDE CRISIS & PREVENTION RESOURCES


National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255) www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ (Includes live 1-to-1 chat services with a counselor) www.ptsd.va.gov (Learn about the PTSD Coach mobile app) Veteran Combat Call Center (Talk to another combat veteran): 877-927-8387


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