Biloxi High JROTC cadets raise awareness among veterans about the suicide rate

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – On Monday, Biloxi High School JROTC cadets marched through the gym 22 times. That number represents the average daily suicide rate among veterans in the United States.

“They wanted to raise suicide awareness among veterans and use the opportunity to raise money,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Philip Byrd (Ret.). “One of the things we used to do as an old school is internalize everything. That’s not healthy. Asking for help is not a weakness. That’s one of the most important things for people to understand.”

Byrd is a mentor for Biloxi’s Air Force JROTC. Conversations about mental health are often at the forefront of conversations. It’s a topic that hits close to home for some cadets.

“My father, he served. And he said a few times that if it wasn’t for me and my brother, he would have been one of the 22. It’s a heavy subject, it’s serious for me,” junior Avery Torrens said.

Retired Master Sergeant Terry Armstong of the Mississippi National Guard told the cadets, “When you realize you have a problem, solve it. Don’t put it off because it will only get worse.”

Retired U.S. Army Sergeant 1st Class Larry Byrd echoed the sentiment.

“As soldiers, we kind of leave the mental and emotional trauma behind and put it on the back burner,” he said. “But guess what? That low burner is still on and it’s cooking. We bring the fight home. That person is still fighting it and we don’t know. We need to understand what is going on and be aware of it. That is why these events are so important.”

Do you see a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.