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WE TELL THE WORLD

UNEXPECTED VOICES
CHAPTER II: SUICIDE PREVENTION

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MISSION

To prevent suicide and shatter the stigma through public awareness and community empowerment. 

Image by Joshua Earle

The epic story of tomorrow can’t be written if it ends today.

So, we tell the stories of the today.

STORIES THAT CHANGE LIVES

  • Loved ones who lost the fight

  • Veterans who found themselves in hardship due to denied benefits

  • Veterans who had to re-live their trauma by being asked to tell the stories countless times in order to receive VA compensation.

  • Professional negligence that caused deterioration in mental health.

Through  partnership with the most influential and dedicated members of our global community, we will shatter the stigma. 

...AND will change the way the world views mental health.

Only those who hold a spotlight can help illuminate the obligations we hold as a global community to break barriers and allow those who feel rejected to feel accepted once again. 

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UNEXPECTED VOICE

ORLANDO BLOOM IS AN 

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OUR TRAVEL PROGRAM

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Vacations can improve mood and reduce stress by removing people from the activities and environments that they associate with stress and anxiety. The things that cause you stress in your daily life seem far away when you travel, which helps you put everything into better perspective once you return home.

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AUSV's mission is to create such opportunities for members of the community.

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BENEFITS FUNDED

Family Meal
Therapy session

RESOURCES

Suicide prevention starts with available resources and access to such resources to individuals, family members and the community at large.

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AWARENESS

Suicide prevention requires a solid educational platform to inform the public about the short comings, the neglect and complacency of the system. 

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STORIES

By telling the stories of suicide, we aim to make our communities aware of the disgraceful truth about countless veterans who felt invisible in the eyes of society. 

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PARTNERS

Without the support of our partners, our advocacy, research and awareness campaign will not be possible. Our partners are the backbone of our fights to end suicide. 

NEVER ENDING WAR

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When we meet someone with Post Traumatic Stress, we often think the person is refusing to let go of the past. But it is the past refusing to let go of the person. For many veterans their memories of war is an armor they cannot take off, no matter how many times we tell them the war is over. Join Academy of United States Veterans and Unexpected Voices in shining a light on an underserved issue in our global community.

WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON

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TEMPORARY BENEFIT FOR ALL COMBAT VETERANS

 We will advocate so that Congress approves all combat veterans to receive minimal VA benefits for one year upon separation regardless of their medical/mental health condition at the time. Statistics prove that the cost of back-and-forth between Department of Veterans Affairs and our separated service members is far greater than granting 10% benefits to all combat veterans separated from United States military for 12 months upon their separation.

 

However, their inability to obtain benefits in a timely manner  has greater risks that can often lead to unimaginable and painful consequences. 

Army Soldiers

STOP THE WAR WITHIN THE SYSTEM BEYOND VA & DOD 

Approve all mental health benefits for combat veterans without pain and suffering. The agony, pain and irreversible damage that our fellow veterans face are becoming more and more blistering every day. That is why many veterans give up on obtaining their benefits and in many cases they fall into despair which can lead to several mental health issues and in many cases "suicide."

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To do this we utilize our unique position between the veteran community and the entertainment community to provide a louder voice to the numerous issues veterans face in accessing and receiving adequate mental health care through VA, DOD and civilian resources. 

Veteran Memorial Service

THEY TOO ARE THE FALLEN
VISIBLE VS. INVISIBLE WOUNDS

Recognize victims of suicide for their service, sacrifice and struggles. Shatter the stigma of disregarding this who have left us due to service connected mental health issues.

 

Families of those veterans who have committed suicide have trouble obtaining various benefits and recognitions for their service members who have fought selflessly for our country.

 

It is time to put an end to it.

BE THEIR VOICES

I was furious. I have never been shot at in my civilian life. I have never been blown up in my civilian life. I haven't lost an "adopted" child to a suicide bomber in my civilian life. And I haven't had to listen to a man's death over the Med-Evac frequency in my civilian life. All those things happened during my year in Iraq, but my PTSD is probably just related to my years working at UPS or something?

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM VETERAN 

It took two years and nine suicide attempts for DJ to finally get help through the VA system. He has had plenty more deplorable doctors; one shrieked at me how, “That’s the VA way. If you don’t like it, leave,” when DJ had a life-threatening reaction to a medication. Now, when I advocate for DJ’s and other’s care, I remember her lesson that near-fatal medical policies are the VA way. Instead of leaving, though, I do my best to make sure poor treatment at home doesn’t kill soldiers who survived deployment.

WIFE OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM VETERAN

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