A Memorial Day Message from NVF President Shad Meshad

NVF President & Founder Shad Meshad

On Memorial Day, our nation will honor and remember those service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I ask you to also keep in your heart and mind those men and women who have served their country, risked their lives, sacrificed months or years of precious time with their families, returned home, taken off their uniforms and joined the mostly invisible army of America’s veterans.

Among this army of former troops who have served and sacrificed for our country there persists an unacceptable number of suicides.

The number of 22 has been thrown around a lot as the number of veterans who commit suicide every day in America. Some have argued about this number, saying its inaccurate, or less important because it includes older veterans who served in wars before 9/11, as well as Iraq and Afghanistan vets.

The fact that I believe the number of veteran suicides is even higher than 22 a day is not that important, because I also believe even one veteran suicide a day, by a veteran of any era, would be too many. If you agree, you can do something about it.

The veterans who answer the calls at the National Veterans Foundation’s Lifeline for Vets counsel veterans on the verge of suicide, however suicide calls aren’t the only calls they take. But every call they have with a veteran is potentially a suicide prevention call.

That’s because helping veterans get jobs is suicide prevention. As is helping them find or keep housing, access their benefits, get medical care, financial help and counseling.

Becoming suicidal is a process, a process that can often take years. And having a job, getting counseling, getting medical care, these are all things that provide veterans with stability, both mentally and financially. And that stability can put veterans on a different path than the one that ends with them taking their own lives.

Today, in honor of these warriors’ service and as a demonstration of your caring for their sacrifice, and for their well being, you can lend a helping hand. You can reach out and provide your support by helping to sustain the lifeline that the National Veterans foundation offers to veterans.

A Message from Martin Sheen

Please take a minute to watch this message from NVF Honorary Board Member Martin Sheen and then take action. Provide real, material support for our veterans by making a donation to the National Veterans Foundation in honor of our invisible heroes.

As Martin says in his message, “Help save a life. A $100 tax deductible contribution will help enable the equipment, the counselors, the training, and the programs to help two or more vets on the brink.”

Thank you in advance for your support, and have a happy Memorial Day weekend.

Sincerely,

Shad Meshad
President & Founder
National Veterans Foundation