Photo By Master Sgt. Chris Botzum | Members of the 111th Attack Wing volunteered their Sunday to participate in the...... read more read more
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The plague of military veterans' suicide rate has received national attention over the year with an average of 22 members committing suicide each day.
To help raise community awareness, Guard members of the 111th Attack Wing’s Communications Flight and the 56th Styker Brigade from the Horsham Air Guard Station, Horsham, Pennsylvania, teamed with the Doylestown March for the 22 organization, to participate in a 22 kilometer rucksack march through Bucks County Oct. 22, 2017.
Police provided escort as service veterans from the Marines, Navy and Coast Guard joined in and rounded out the 22 marchers through the countryside lugging a 22-pound backpack each.
“I’ve been speaking with former military and people in the community about the suffering of our servicemen and women,” said Ed Lopez, Army veteran and assistant organizer with the March for the 22 event. “It’s not just the suicides, it’s the returning deployer coming back and having to make a number of adjustments back to normal life.
“Community plays a big role in helping the veteran getting back on their feet, and this community, in Doylestown, is no exception. This community was here for me when I returned”
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, in 2014, the rate of suicides among all adult citizens in the U.S. was 15.2 per 100,000 while rates for veterans was 35.2 per 100,000.
From the 111ATKW, the 111th Communications Flight mustered the entire ruck sack team and was comprised of Maj. Danielle Minamyer, flight commander, Senior Airman Jarrod Ziegler, client systems technician and Airman 1st Class Jonathon Zang.
“The idea of this [march] was something I’ve been wanting to get involved with for a while,” said Minamyer, who had been impacted by a suicide in her past. “I couldn’t find someone to do one with, so when this particular event came up, it just made perfect sense.”
Kicking off just before daybreak, the trek would take its toll.
“The first 6 miles weren’t too bad, just a quick stop fueling up with apples, protein bars and water, but after the next 5 mile block, it was starting to hit us; sore feet and hips that tighten up in ways you’re not use to,” she added. “The last 4 miles, you could visibly see it was seriously impacting everyone.”
There’s a continued high evidence of suicides among middle-aged and older adult veterans. In 2014, approximately 65 percent of all veterans who died from suicide were age 50 years or older.
Rounding the final bend to the greeting at the Doylestown Courthouse, hundreds of onlookers lined the town-center street cheering the column of marchers’ arrival, ending beneath an enormous American flag draped from the extension ladder of a town’s fire truck.
“Going forward, we want to open the event up to more veterans and first responders. If we can help bring our community together for just an hour and a half each year, it’s a good thing for the community and a great thing to support our service members, said Lopez.
“My message to every veteran is that you’re not alone. You deserve the best. This community and the event vendors are about them [veterans] and their families. This is just a human thing.”
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.24.2017 13:04 |
| Story ID: | 252801 |
| Location: | HORSHAM, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 84 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Guard, community come together to raise awareness for veterans who suffer in silence, by MSgt Chris Botzum, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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