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PRINTER'S NO. 1805
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
349
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY HEFFLEY, BIZZARRO, DUSH, SONNEY, SCHLOSSBERG,
McGINNIS, R. BROWN, DRISCOLL, PASHINSKI, COX, O'NEILL,
LONGIETTI, SCHWEYER, V. BROWN, READSHAW, WHEATLEY, MULLERY,
CALTAGIRONE, MILLARD, EMRICK, JAMES, SAINATO, MARSHALL,
ROTHMAN, WHEELAND, WARD, IRVIN, A. HARRIS, D. COSTA, NEILSON,
HILL-EVANS AND HAHN, MAY 23, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 23, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the Mission 22 campaign and raising awareness for
the ongoing epidemic of veteran suicide.
WHEREAS, An average of 22 veterans commit suicide every day
in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The 22-per-day death average, released by the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2013, is the
center of a campaign named Mission 22; and
WHEREAS, Mission 22 is a national nonprofit organization
which has the charter of stemming the tide of suicides among our
military personnel and veterans; and
WHEREAS, Mission 22 derives its name from the startling
statistic that 22 United States veterans take their own lives
each day and is designed to enlist support in the fight against
veteran suicide; and
WHEREAS, From 2001 to 2014, The VA found suicides among
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United States adult civilians increased 23% while veteran
suicides increased 32%, making the risk of suicide 11% greater
for veterans than civilians; and
WHEREAS, The reason for the elevated suicide rate among
recent veterans remains unclear but is most likely attributed to
factors such as the lengthy wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and
added tours of duty; and
WHEREAS, Mission 22 was founded by Special Forces operators
Magnus Johnson, Mike Kissel and Infantryman Brad Hubbard; and
WHEREAS, Because of their personal battles with posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), the
founders' mission is to end veteran suicide in America; and
WHEREAS, Mission 22 launched on October 22, 2014, with a call
to action for the public to "claim a 22" on social media; and
WHEREAS, These public messages offer an easy way to send a
loud message of compassion to the men and women who put their
lives on the line to protect and serve the United States; and
WHEREAS, The campaign also directs attention to the Mission
22 website, which provides a list of resources for veterans who
are in need of help and intends to end the stigma surrounding
PTSD and TBI; and
WHEREAS, Mission 22 also creates large-scale public memorials
to honor veterans featuring the "War at Home Memorial," a mobile
monument with a steel plate created in the likeness of a real
American veteran who lost the battle with PTSD or TBI; and
WHEREAS, The "War at Home Memorial" details the life and
service of a veteran in an inscription located at the base of
the plate and also honors all those who lost the battle at home;
and
WHEREAS, These memorials travel the country before they
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eventually reach a permanent site in Washington, DC; and
WHEREAS, The Borough of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, will be
receiving a memorial cutout during the last week in April in
honor of Michael C. Wargo, a 1994 graduate of Lehighton Area
High School; and
WHEREAS, Specialist Wargo joined the United States Army after
9/11 and spent 10 months in Afghanistan as a chemical weapons
specialist before suffering with PTSD for eight years and taking
his life on May 20, 2013; and
WHEREAS, Two other Pennsylvania veterans were chosen for the
"War at Home Memorial" distinction; and
WHEREAS, On May 22, 2017, Mission 22 will display one of the
steel silhouettes from the "War at Home Memorial" at Soldiers'
Grove on the Capitol Complex, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The residents of Pennsylvania have a responsibility
to help our brothers-in-arms and sisters-in-arms who suffer from
the deepest, invisible wounds of war before these veterans
believe their only choice is taking their own lives; and
WHEREAS, The health and well-being of the courageous men and
women who served in uniform are of the highest priority for the
House of Representatives; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize and
fully support the Mission 22 campaign as it continues to raise
awareness about veteran suicide and works to ensure that our
veterans and the families of all service members receive the
care, support and service in their greatest hour of need; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recommit to
providing timely access to high-quality, recovery-oriented
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mental health care to veterans, especially when they are in
crisis; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
Mission 22, P.O. Box 1511, Nashville, IN, 47448.
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