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DEFENSE SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE, Arlington, VA - As September’s Suicide Prevention Month draws to a close, signaling the end of yet another year’s performative awareness efforts, Brig. Gen. Anthony Clark, Director of the Defense Suicide Awareness Office declared victory in the fight for suicide awareness, saying one thing is clear: at least 22 veterans per day are very aware of suicide at this point.

“The final numbers are not in yet, but based on previous years’ stats and this year’s stop light charts, we are confidently predicting an on-track September regarding awareness of active duty military and veteran suicide,” Clark announced to a press gathering at Arlington National Cemetery. “Honestly, things looked dark by late August. After steadily climbing over the course of the Global War on Terror ™, veteran suicide rates have dropped since really peaking in 2018. We kind of needed a Hail Mary to get things moving again.”

Concerted efforts by both official and unofficial entities in the battle for veteran suicide awareness really paid off according to Marine veteran Ryan Tongley, speaking from a burn unit hospital bed after surviving lighting himself on fire in the parking lot of a VA Treatment Center in Casper, WY.