Veterans, families share struggles during Suicide Awareness Month

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — September is Suicide Awareness Month, a time to focus on the struggles many face in silence. For members of the military community, those struggles can often linger long after service ends.

Matthew “Whiz” Buckley, a Navy veteran, remembers the day that changed his life forever.

“I saw the initial airplane hit. Saw the second plane hit. I knew we were under attack,” Buckley said, recalling September 11, 2001, his first scheduled flight as a commercial pilot.

After years of military service, Buckley said the transition wasn’t easy. Laid off from the airline industry and later working on Wall Street, he says the mental toll was overwhelming.

“They resort to drugs, they resort to alcohol, or sadly, anywhere from [ages] 22 to maybe as high as 44 veterans check out every day by their own hand,” Buckley said.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 6,000 veterans die by suicide each year. Behind every number is a story.

Denise Singleton, President of the Louisiana Chapter 1 Blue Star Mothers of America, said families see those battles firsthand.

“Is it the stigma of being able to say I need help because you’re concerned that it may go against your military record? Is it the intake process whenever we’re enlisting these young men and women?” Singleton asked.

She said suicide prevention is not just about helping young service members but also those who have served for decades and struggle to adjust once they return home.

“It’s not just the twenty-year-olds. It’s the guys that are serving 30 years, and they’re retiring and they don’t know how to transition into civilian life,” Singleton explained.

While the VA is designed to provide mental health support, Buckley believes many veterans are still falling through the cracks.

“When they transition, we should care about these people. Our government, the VA, their fellow Americans, promised them, ‘Hey, come serve your country,’ and we promised them to take care of you when you’re done with that service, and that usually lands a little hollow to a lot of Americans,” he said.

Buckley has since founded No Fallen Heroes, an organization dedicated to ending veteran and first responder suicide through psychedelic therapy, advocacy, and support networks.

Advocates say awareness during Suicide Awareness Month is critical to ensuring those who serve the nation receive the support they need when they come home.

If you or someone you know is dealing with these thoughts, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Latest News