Veterans have unveiled an artwork to raise awareness about the mental health issues veterans face.
The artwork, a sculpture called “Silent Battle” created by the artist Anita Miller in 2018, will be housed in Casper, Wy., to destigmatize mental health issues and encourage veterans to talk about their experiences.
The bronze sculpture depicts Brian Zimmerman—a U.S. Army Gulf War veteran who lost friends to suicide—sitting on the floor with his head tipped down. In his hand, he holds a dog tag of a friend.
Dean Welch, a committee member for Silent Battle Casper who served four years in the Navy and 22 years in the Army National Guard, told Your Wyoming Link: “We’re losing too many veterans. They’re coming home, and the scars of battle are still there. They may not be visible, but they’re there. We want to try and stop the suicides from happening.
Veteran Suicides
In February, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released its latest National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report.
It analyzed veteran suicides between 2001 and 2023, with 2023 being the most recent year for which data is available. Suicides among veterans in 2023 totaled 6,398, a slight decrease from the 6,442 suicides in 2022. The average number of daily veteran suicides fell from 17.6 in 2022 to 17.5 in 2023.
In June, veteran advocates met with legislators to advocate for two bills they hope to pass to help reduce veteran suicide.
One piece of legislation, the Daniel J. Harvey Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act, calls for expanding VA and Department of Defense (DOD) programs to help active-duty military members and veterans spot risk factors for suicide and reach out for mental health support.
Another bill, the Barriers to Suicide Act, would install suicide-deterrent barriers on bridges and non-bridge structures deemed high risk for suicide attempts. It would accomplish that by authorizing $10 million annually to construct the barriers between Fiscal Years 2026 and 2030.
How ‘Silent Battle’ Originated
“Silent Battle” was originally created as a traveling exhibit and has previously been exhibited in Marietta, Ga., and other cities. Casper will be its permanent home.
Organizers plan to put the statue next to the North Platte Rive, close to the Wyoming Fallen Veterans Memorial. Prior, it will tour in several locations in the area, including a local car show at El Mark-O Lanes on July 12.
“Everyone has a form of silent battle,” Marine Corps veteran Shawn Moore said. “We’re just trying to share that it’s okay. You’re not weak; you’re strong. You are worth it.”
Another veteran, Sherry Johnson, said: “We have to open this up and understand that people struggle. Mental health is an issue across the board. There are so many unseen scars that go unnoticed because people look at someone and think, ‘Well, you’ve got all your limbs. You must be fine.'”
“We have the highest suicide rate here. I think we’ve had the highest suicide rate since I was young. We need to stop this, especially in the state of Wyoming,” Johnson added, saying the moment he saw the sculpture evoked “a spiritual connection.”
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