Yes, this is my life

I am biased I guess because I already know what happens when a veteran commits suicide. I've been living it for nearly a year and a half. My husband, a recently retired Marine with 20 years of service took his life in 2013. He left behind myself and our three kids. It's been devastating. I back the Clay Hunt Act because I can't imagine another child crying themselves to sleep at night because their dad is gone. Sure, they had cried many night before as daddy was deployed nearly 3 years total of their life. It was different then, I could tell them he would be back soon. He was our hero. He was not with us so that other girls and boys could grow up in a safe place.  Now when they cry for him all I can do is lie right down next to them and cry too. I can only tell them I am sorry. He loved them to the moon and back and he's now up protecting God in heaven. How could anyone not vote to save  not just the brave men and women  but their little children who sacrificed most of...

I now know my purpose in life is to help others struggling. I never thought I'd be here but God has his ways. I believe He led me here in his divine way. Ultimately my goal is to speak personally and in groups to at risk veterans and their spouses. I want to share my story, offer support, red flags, resources to help prevent veteran suicide and educate them on symptoms and signs of ptsd. I have been on both sides of the illness. Having ptsd is incredibly hard but so is being the caretaker. The condition affects the entire family. I would love to help eradicate the stereotypes that surround ptsd and suicide both. I want it to become as acceptable as to say you have diabetes. I would love to see a group of veterans, surviving spouses, caretakers and mental health pros work together traveling across the country speaking to vets and active duty alike. For instance my husband was a Marine and before retiring took a transition/retirement class. I would love to offer this sort of educa...

I understand there may be hesitation on passing Clay Hunt. If you've never had to rely on the VA for mental health services you'd think programs are currently in place. On paper it looks as though a comprehensive range of services are provided. I can tell you personally it's just not working. I can give you 22 reasons a day. 22 veterans take their lives daily in the United States. My husband was one. He became a statistic on September 15, 2013. It was just four months after he retired from the Marine Corps. He left behind myself and our three children. I became a widow at 34. My children were six, eight and 13 when he died. My youngest, the only girl, may not even remember her father as time goes by. He won't be there to see them graduate, or to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.  Every 65 minutes another child loses their daddy, another wife loses her identity and a family is forever severed. We were not awarded life insurance or death benefits and ...