Hi John,

Veterans Day is a complicated day for me. As a veteran, I know how important it is to honor those who have served our country. So first I want to thank all the men and women who have served in any capacity. That service requires great sacrifice, including time away from loved ones and putting your life on the line.

But as we thank those service members who have returned home, we must also acknowledge the reality that just because soldiers are home, they are not necessarily safe.

Coming home after a deployment is often the easy part. Transition to civilian life can be hard and unforgiving. Without adequate support, the physical and emotional trauma suffered by so many service members can make returning to “normal” life feel impossible. That is part of what is driving an epidemic of suicide among veterans.

An average of 4,200 veterans die by firearm suicide each year—about 11 each day. And the numbers aren’t getting better. In fact, the veteran firearm suicide rate has increased dramatically over the last decade.

After spending 21 years in the Air Force, I dedicated my career to serving veterans. I’ve seen firsthand the challenges facing our service members at home.

I know that the causes of suicide are complex and varied. But research tells us that one effective and concrete thing we can do to combat this problem is to prevent easy access to guns. Because in a moment of crisis, access to a gun can literally mean the difference between life and death.

That is why I am proud to work with the Alliance for Gun Responsibility to pass commonsense safeguards to help prevent firearm suicide.

We owe it to our veterans to continue this work. 

Thank you for working alongside me,

Ray Miller
Alliance Board Member