OXFORD (NEWS CENTER Maine) — The display located next to the American Legion features 660 flags, each representing a veteran the VA says dies by suicide each month in this country.
Bev Stevens asks Berry to send the flags to honor veterans in Maine who died from invisible wounds of war. Stevens, who is married to a veteran who struggled with PTSD after serving in Iraq with the Maine Army National Guard, hopes veterans on the edge will reach out for help.
"There is always a place to turn somewhere," Stevens said. "I don’t want them to give up."
A report released last month by the VA shows the number of veteran suicides in Maine was 29. That’s a drop from 2015 when the veteran suicide rate stood at 47.
Veteran Services officials say additional outreach programs throughout the state including mental health counseling are helping save lives but more work needs to be done.
Maine Veteran Suicide Data Sheet, 2016 by NEWSCENTER26 on Scribd
If you're a veteran or know a veteran who is in crisis, call the National VA Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255
Veterans and military personnel who are dealing with mental health problems like depression, substance abuse and PTSD can learn more through the US National Library of Medicine
Here's the "Flags for Forgotten Soldiers" Facebook Page
Bevvy Ann Stevens has more information on the Maine display located in Oxford