Each May, the United States remembers and honors those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice, dying to defend the freedoms of our country. Unfortunately, there’s a rapidly growing list of veterans who have lost their lives not as a result of bombs and bullets but as a result of the hidden wounds of war.
Each day, 22 veterans die by suicide. That’s 660 veterans lost each month, creating one of our country’s most heartbreaking and preventable tragedies.
The Northern Kentucky Service Members, Veterans, and Families Suicide Prevention Coalition is seeking to remind people as they celebrate Memorial Day this weekend that wars don’t necessarily end when the fighting stops.
“Many of those who survive the external battles abroad are not able to survive the internal battles at home,” says Doug Witt, a 13-year Army veteran and a founding member of the Coalition. “Our goal as a Coalition is to provide resources and connections and do everything in our power to bring the number of veteran suicides down to zero. That’s a huge challenge and will take some time. But for those who have been lost, we just want to make sure they aren’t forgotten.”
Deb Winkler is also a Coalition member and mother of Cpl. Matthew Winkler, a Marine Corps veteran who served two tours overseas as a Senior Intelligence Specialist. Matthew took his life after returning home and struggling with PTSD.
“Matthew didn’t die while serving our country, but died as a result of serving our country,” she says. “His wounds were internal. He should be remembered during Memorial Day exactly the same as everyone else.”
The Coalition is a group of veterans and volunteers whose mission is to reduce suicide by bringing together Northern Kentucky service members, veterans, and their families in an effort to create relationships and provide education, awareness, and, most importantly, hope. Death by suicide is 100-percent preventable, but it can’t be done without community support.