In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Week, September 10th through September 16th, your Greater San Antonio Chamber’s Military Affairs Council met at the Veteran Wellness Center at Endeavors to discuss the important topic of veteran suicide and prevention. The group was welcomed by Jon Allman, CEO of Endeavors, who highlighted the work of the Endeavors team, specifically around mental health and wellness efforts. “The Veteran Wellness Center at Endeavors is prioritizing health care and well-being for veterans and their families regardless of service, discharge status or family relationship,” relayed Allman. Their wellness model, the Six Principles of Wellness, integrates mental health and wellness, physical health care, holistic treatments, and support services to help improve quality of life. The Center offers a broad range of services that include mental health services, nutritional support and a state-of-the-art fitness center designed with accessibility to fit individual needs. Other amenities available include on-site childcare, designated areas for hosting meetings, veteran-owned business and transitional support and assistance with VA benefits which is available free of charge for Veterans.
Following the welcome, Mike Kelly (Assistant Vice President, Military Advocacy, USAA) introduced the recently established "Face the Fight" coalition, founded by USAA, Humana Foundation, and Reach Resilience, with a moving video. Kelly was joined by Major General (R) Alfred K. Flowers, Sr., Board Chair of Reach Resilience. Flowers discussed his previous experiences as an Air Force leader with 46 years of service and the challenges for military service members seeking help, while in uniform and out of uniform. By advancing the work of Endeavors, Reach Resilience is committed to serving communities in crisis by activating allies, enabling change, and elevating humanity through efforts that restore dignity, nurture confidence, and empower perseverance. The Face the Fight Coalition aligns well with the Reach Resilience mission specifically related to their work of serving vulnerable populations, such as veterans and military families.
Important facts to know:
- The veteran suicide rate is 57% higher than the national average.
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death among post 9/11 veterans.
- Over 120,000 veterans have died by suicide since 2001.
- Suicide rates for male veterans between 18-34 yrs old nearly doubled since 2006.
- The veteran suicide rate is currently 1.5 times the rate of the general population.
- Over half of service members who die by suicide do not have a mental illness.
Simple steps can save lives:
- Store your firearms unloaded, separate from ammunition, and in a locked location as they are the most common method used in veteran suicide.
- Reach out to people you care about who are experiencing stress, loneliness, social isolation, or disconnection to reduce their risk.
- Engage professional help by scheduling a call to an at-risk veteran from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline.
“Our mission is to break the stigmas surrounding suicide to open conversation and support around the topic. Facing the reality of veteran suicide is a struggle. But when people face this fight together there is hope,” reads the Face the Fight website. Face the Fight is a coalition of corporations, foundations, nonprofit and veteran-focused organizations joined together to raise awareness and support for veteran suicide prevention. To become one of the many organizations signing onto this effort, email join@wefacethefight.org. The administrative support of the coalition is being managed by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, who is no stranger to supporting military families and veterans.
For more information on the Military Affairs Council and how to join in the efforts to bring awareness to issues impacting military and veteran wellness, email Lori Stinson, Vice President of Military Affairs and Leadership Development at lstinson@sachamber.org.