III
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 838
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 23, 2024
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Casey, Mr. Risch, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Thune, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Tuberville, Ms. Sinema, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Booker, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Warren, Mr. Crapo, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. King, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Kaine, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Schmitt, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Sullivan) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of November 17, 2024, as National Warrior Call Day
and recognizing the importance of connecting warriors in the United States to support structures necessary to transition from the battlefield, especially peer-to-peer connection.
Whereas establishing an annual National Warrior Call Day
will draw attention to the members of the Armed Forces and veterans whose connection to one another is key to supporting the members of the Armed Forces and veterans in the United States who may be dangerously disconnected from family, friends, and support systems;
Whereas the number of suicides of members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty was 492 in 2022;
Whereas, in 2022, the total count of Armed Forces suicide deaths went down, but the overall rate of Armed Forces suicide deaths per 100,000 went up by 3 percent;
Whereas, in 2021, there were 6,392 veteran suicide deaths, and the unadjusted rate of suicide in 2021 among veterans was 33.9 per 100,000;
Whereas, after adjusting for sex and age, the rate of veteran suicide in 2021 was nearly 72 percent higher than the rate of suicide in non-veteran adults;
Whereas a greater number of veterans have died by suicide in the 10 years preceding the adoption of this resolution than members of the Armed Forces who died from combat in Vietnam;
Whereas many of the veterans who die by suicide have had no known contact with the Department of Veterans Affairs;
Whereas a myriad of factors leads to increased isolation and disconnection, further exacerbating mental and physical ailments such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, anxiety, and depression;
Whereas invisible wounds linked to an underlying and undiagnosed traumatic brain injury can present as or exacerbate mental health conditions, a problem that can be addressed through appropriate medical treatment;
Whereas additional research is needed to highlight the connection between traumatic brain injury as a root cause of invisible wounds and suicide by members of the Armed Forces and veterans; and
Whereas November 17, 2024, would be an appropriate day to designate as National Warrior Call Day
: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
supports the designation of November 17, 2024, as National Warrior Call Day
;
encourages all individuals in the United States, especially members of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and veterans, to call a warrior, have an honest conversation, and connect them with support, understanding that making a warrior call could save a life; and
implores all individuals in the United States to recommit themselves to engaging with members of the Armed Forces and veterans through National Warrior Call Day
and other constructive efforts that result in solutions and treatment for the invisible scars that can afflict veterans and members of the Armed Forces.