To The President Of The United States Of America:

This petition is presented to you by the undersigned, impassioned Americans on behalf of the Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq Wars Veteran and active duty military members who have, and continue to commit suicide due to our military’s inability to adequately acknowledge, treat and heal the psychological and moral injuries associated with war.

The 20-22 suicides a day is a staggering number far outpacing combat deaths since the beginning of these war conflicts and is both a public health hazard and critical national defense issue. If we are to continue to attract and sustain a strong and capable military, mental and physical healthcare must be placed on equal parity and provided, stigma free, to every military member and Veteran.

On behalf of these brave men and women who took their own lives, and on behalf of their loved ones who mourn their loss, we respectfully petition you, our military’s Commander in Chief, to hold our Department of Defense accountable for this decades long, mental health crisis.

Furthermore, we urgently request you and our Congressional Representatives mandate the Department of Defense to take the following, evidence-based actions that are consistent with the DoD’s well-documented studies and stated objectives, and establish a Behavioral (Mental) Health Corps that will oversee the following:

• Leverage President Roosevelt’s World War II comprehensive and successful reentry program to help the transition from military service to Veteran life.

• Ensure every active duty military member, Veteran and their families have access to all evidence-based therapies per the joint VA/DoD’s recommended PTS Treatment Guidelines.

• Enforce an aggressive anti-stigma policy and program throughout the military.

• Limit the number and length of deployments.

• Increase staffing and training of non-military licensed marriage/family therapists, mental health counselors and clinical psychologists.

• Create a joint services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force) Mental Health Lessons Learned Center to research, track data and unify resources in the ongoing study and delivery methods of mental healthcare to our military members.

To build a solid foundation for meaningful, mental health policy reform within our Military there must be organizational humility for how we’ve failed our military community for so many years. From this stance of responsibility, compassion and empathy we can and must create a better, healthier future for all who honorably serve in our Military.

We urge you, The President of The United States of America, to be the pivotal change agent in this crucial matter.

In honor of the silent fallen and their families,

The Petitioners

RESOURCES

1. Recommended_Corrective_Actions_for_Fixing_Military_Mental_Healthcare
2. Behavioral Health Corps_Proposed_Policy
3. Let There Be Light