PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Montgomery County state Rep. Joe Webster took a moment during Veterans Suicide Awareness Week to talk about the challenges war veterans face when they return to civilian life.
Webster graduated from the Air Force Academy and served 30 years as an officer.
He hosted several state and county officials and veterans to mark Veterans’ Suicide Awareness Week by hanging 17 dog tags on a Witting Tree.
“Veteran suicide remains a serious public health issue, and an estimate today is that 17 or more veterans across the United States die by suicide each day,” he said.
Webster said it’s important to recognize the challenges military veterans face when returning to civilian life, especially after serving in war zones. In addition to thanking them and recognizing their service, it’s also important to remind them of the available resources like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
“We need to make sure that when we recognize and honor their service, we do it with the utmost of sincerity. That we grasp a hand, look in someone's eye and make sure they mean it and they feel it,” he said.
Veterans’ Suicide Awareness Week falls in September, which is designated as Suicide Prevention Month.
