A peer hotline for veterans

The
note below recommends a peer hotline for veterans, at 1-855-838-8255. As I understand it, these are not
expert counselors, rather people who have been there -- but talking to such people
can be helpful in a moment of crisis, panic or doubt.

The bottom line is that a peer hotline,
established several years ago for the NJ Guard, is now nationwide and serving
the Guard and Reserves and their families in all 50 states and territories.
Although supported by the Guard and Reserves, the program is independent, free
and confidential.

Since the death of our son by suicide,
we've become convinced that there will always be a population of soldiers and
vets who cannot or will not use VA or DoD mental health services and that there
must be other alternatives. This is a good one - the folks at UMDNJ are
wonderful, deeply committed, and absolutely stubborn.