Former VA leaders ask public to call vets to help prevent suicide – By Leo Shane III (Military Times) / Sept 5, 2023
All seven living former Veterans Affairs Secretaries are joining with a coalition of advocacy groups to call for all Americans to participate in National Warrior Call Day this November in an effort to help prevent veteran suicides.
The event — set for Nov. 12, the day after national Veterans Day ceremonies — is designed to highlight the estimated 17 veterans a day lost to suicide and prompt members of the public to take a role in reaching out to veterans.
“While we believe consistent engagement is essential, a day of action, on the heels of Veterans Day, can have an impact,” the secretaries and participating groups wrote in an open letter released Tuesday. “We understand that one call can truly save a life.”
The former secretaries are Anthony Principi, Jim Nicholson, James Peake, Eric Shinseki, Bob McDonald, David Shulkin and Robert Wilkie. They served under three different presidents and represent bipartisan support for the outreach efforts. Other signers of the letter include AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, Wounded Warrior Project and America’s Warrior Partnership.
