Mission 22 walk brings awareness to military veterans dying by suicide
An 8-year-old boy carrying a U.S. flag helped lead more than 75 people on a 2.2-mile walk that started at 2:22 p.m. Sunday, the 22nd day of May, to bring awareness to the issue of suicides by military veterans.
"I want to help our veterans," said Noah Rabb, a third-grader at West Lake Preparatory Academy in Denver. "They served our country."
Noah's grandfather and father are both veterans, and they also participated in the walk that started at Gastonia's Lineberger Park and then continued along the Avon/Catawba Creeks Greenway.
Noah, who wants to be a military jet plane fighter pilot, was not the youngest on the walk put together by the local Mission 22 organization.
Emma Norman, 10 months, was pushed along the route by her mother, Army veteran Laura Mims of Gastonia, who served from 2006 to 2007.
"I want to show my appreciation that somebody is willing to pay attention to our veterans," Mims said. "Not everyone is turning a blind eye."
The oldest walker honor went to Raymond King of Gastonia who will turn 86 on July 9.
"I always support our military," said the veteran who served in the Army from 1956 to 1960. "It's part of a family.
Mission 22
"When their tour is over, our mission begins," states the Mission 22 slogan.
"Their" references the men and women of America's armed forces who have served their country at remote and often dangerous locations around the world.
"Our mission" refers to Mission 22, an organization devoted to making sure veterans receive the help and care they have earned as they transition back to civilian life.
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The "22" refers to the estimated number of military veterans who take their own lives in a final act of despair each day.
Kevin Evans, an ambassador for Mission 22, organized Sunday's walk to raise awareness to the "epidemic of military veteran suicides." He chose the time, the date and the length of the walk to keep bringing that number "22" home.
Too often veterans serve their county, "but then they come home and they're losing the war at home," said the active and reserve Navy combat corpsman from 1984 to 1992. Evans has worked 30-plus years for CaroMont Health in its health information division, and several of Sunday's walkers were his co-workers.
Returning help
Transitioning from military life to civilian life proved challenging to Rodney Littlejohn, 38, of Kings Mountain, who was in the Army from 2006 to 2015.
"I know how it feels to be under mental stress and contemplate suicide," said Littlejohn. "Since I beat it, I want to help someone else beat it."
Littlejohn received help through the Veterans Affairs, he said.
"It was difficult to adapt. I was still adapting to the Army and military life, so it was hard to adapt to civilian life," he said.
Sunday's turnout, he said, shows people still care about veterans even if they no longer wear their uniform.
"Mental health affects everyone, whether they are civilian or in the military," Littlejohn said. "People are fighting battles within themselves. It's part of human nature."
Military needs to 'fix us,' veteran says
A month after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, North Gaston High School graduate Larry Goins of Dallas signed up to join the Army.
His daughter had been born Sept. 19, 2001, and Goins would not actually get his orders to join until 2002, but he would end up serving in the Army until 2008.
"They came and picked the fight first," Goins said in why he decided to join the military.
Goins would serve two tours in Iraq during his time in the Army. He came to Sunday's walk because he has military friends who have killed themselves by suicide. Veterans need help, he said.
"Veterans ourselves have had to start doing it because nobody else is," Goins said. "This says somebody does care about my brothers and sisters."
The military, he said, has to "fix us before they turn us out."
You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-201-7016 or email him at kellis@gastongazette.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gastonia Mission 22 walk brings awareness to military veteran suicide
