Hey John,

My name’s Sean McDaniel and I’m a U.S. Army Veteran and policy fellow at Brady. I served for eight years and deployed twice, serving in Afghanistan and Syria. I know exactly what it’s like to handle weapons of war, and how much training it takes to do it properly. I also know what it’s like to come home from deployments and struggle with adjusting back to a different life.

That’s why I’m reaching out to you today: We need to talk about something that has been taking the lives of our veterans without much discussion. It can be hard to talk about, but suicide is the leading cause of gun deaths in the United States and veterans are disproportionately affected. But, we can save lives with safe storage. That’s why Brady is taking action to spread awareness and end family fire.

Tomorrow, I’ll be speaking on a panel with other veterans to discuss safe gun storage to help prevent veteran suicide, outlining how we can address it and change the culture around the subject. Can you join us? You can use this link to RSVP and tune into our discussion tomorrow at 2PM: https://www.bradyunited.org/act/service-never-stops-virtual-event

In the military, you’re taught to uphold the highest values and stay committed to your fellow service members and country – from day one. This attitude continues with us well after Active Service – because service never stops. I hope you’ll join us tomorrow.

Sean McDaniel
CPT - Field Artillery

Brady Policy Fellow
 

If you or someone you love is struggling with their mental health, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or Text HOME to 741741. If you are a veteran, you can call the Veteran Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and press 1.