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Published: Feb. 2, 2021, 2:02 a.m.

In the sixth episode of this Podcast Series about the Battle of Sadr City on April 4th, 2004, I sat down with Sylvia Macias and the host of Head Space And Timing, Duane France.

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Sylvia approached me with a story she really wanted to tell. This is a story of two brothers, two of her sons. Robert her oldest son was killed in action on April 4th, 2004. Her youngest son Jeremy was lost to suicide. Veteran Suicide is an epidemic and we need to take a stand. To stand by and with those who are hurting and their families.

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We are all relatively familiar with the loss of life on the battlefield. Many soldiers are killed due to small arms ambushes, rocket-propelled grenades, IED's, and even accidents on the battlefield. These losses are hard to take, hard to accept, and leave a gaping hole in the lives of those friends and families left behind.

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Suicide is much harder to wrap your arms around. The loss and pain may be the same but there is a different set of emotions around suicide that makes it particularly hard to talk about. Feelings of regret, anger, and even shame.

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It is hard to talk about, Veteran suicide. It is a growing epidemic in this country but needs to be discussed. Where do we start in doing that?

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Sylvia displays so much courage sharing the story of both her sons. Robert and Jeremy both died fighting a battle, they were just on different battlefields.

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Our hope is that you will be able to learn something from our conversation. If nothing else, just know that there are others out there that need help, perhaps one of them is you. Remember that you are never alone!

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Our Military Helpline operates 24/7/365 and gives free, confidential support to service members, veterans, and their families. Answered by veterans and others trained in military culture, our crisis lines offer compassionate, non-judgmental support and, where appropriate, connect people with the referrals, resources, or treatment they need through tough times.

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In 2016, Lines for Life received more than 73,000 crisis calls\u2014over 30,000 of which were to our dedicated military crisis lines. We talk with callers about concerns such as PTSD, finances, employment, relationships, and suicidal ideation. We de-escalate 95% of the suicide phone calls we receive to help callers find a way forward without the intervention of emergency services.

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