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THIS IS SO ALARMING! 

Over 34,000 deaths by suicide in our Veterans from the Global War on Terror - compared to 7100 deaths from combat - And that number is growing - Soon, there will be over 5 times as many Veterans who die by suicide, as opposed to combat - That is a somber statistic that I'm asking all of us to contemplate during September, National Suicide Prevention Month.  WE ALL must bridge this military/civilian gap where less than 1% of our nation serves and the other 99% of us, although thanking them for their service, are clueless or reluctant to get involved in those very difficult situations where life and death are literally at stake -  SO PLEASE KEEP READING -  This is vital information for the 99% of us who can positively affect a Veterans future - and the future of their families - which will ultimately strengthen our nation. 

Please note an applicable observation by South African Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu: 

“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.” 

This is where I feel we are at, no, let me rephrase that comment

THAT IS WHERE we have BEEN - for nearly 20 years - and it needs to end NOW!   

Thomas Joiner, PhD, expert and author in the field of Suicide mentions in his noted book - Why People Die By Suicide - that three factors are present in this most final act:

1. A desire to take one's own life

2. An ability to take one's own life

3. A feeling of being a burden

And we all need to swim upstream and EASE the BURDEN on our returning military members and their families; not just to welcome our Veterans home by lip service, but by demonstrating our own SERVICE to them.

Health Care Providers– Diagnose and treat Traumatic Brain Injuries, the signature wound of the Global War on Terror. These horrific numbers reveal that far too many Veterans have no diagnosis, much less a treatment for brain injuries in training and combat. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a chemical brain disturbance where holistic measures often can be utilized to call the brain; soothe the soul; and heal the spirit. 

Educators – Open your doors - colleges; universities; trade, and Fuel our Veterans’ passions for life and success and open the doors to their future

Employers – do not just hire Veterans – EMPLOY them; TRAIN them to become the valued members of your team for which they are destined to lead - They are, at their core, team players – Willing to give their lives for their last employer – SO go the extra mile for them – They offered their lives for you. 

Citizens – Embrace them and their families in your churches; your community activities; your societies and civic associations – Bring them into your daily life. Encourage new missions such as food security and sustainability – a passion that is consistent with their innate desire to better humanity. 

We can all do this together - WE MUST ALL DO THIS TOGETHER - 

So jump in the water head first and begin swimming upstream - If you start to falter in your strokes – fear not - Veterans will be there to save you - Will you be there for them? 

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Appleridge Productions is a Youngstown, Ohio based video production company. They intermix a range of production style to accommodate projects in manufacturing, healthcare, food-beverage, and film projects as well. Appleridge Productions is an Addy Award-Winning company and loves getting to be a part of bringing high-quality production value to the Midwest.