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Veterans Face 'Hardest Battles' at Home, Speaker Warns
26 May
Summary
- More service members and veterans die by suicide daily than in recent combat.
- Lt. Col. Schwengler urged a call to action to support veterans' mental health.
- The annual Memorial Day gathering emphasized sacrifice and ongoing care.
At a recent Memorial Day gathering in Aiken, South Carolina, Lt. Col. Aaron T. Schwengler highlighted the critical issue of veteran suicide. He noted that "the hardest battles some of our veterans face are not overseas," with current daily suicide rates among military members and veterans exceeding recent combat casualties.
Schwengler, drawing on 30 years of Army service, framed the statistics as a "call to action" for Memorial Day. Honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice, he argued, must include actively supporting living veterans who grapple with guilt, shame, and trauma from their experiences.
He offered guidelines for support, emphasizing simple communication, expressing gratitude, and paying attention to mental health. Schwengler also underscored the importance of leadership, not just in uniform but within the community, to "step in when something doesn't feel right."
The event, moved indoors due to weather, also recognized retiring music teacher Barb Rollins for her decades of service to community ceremonies. Her contributions, like the memory of fallen heroes, were stated to be unforgettable.
