Bob Nelson (left) and World War II Veteran Howard Jester, 90, participate in Military Appreciation Monday on Jan. 8, 2017 at the Old Brogue.
Month after month, year after year, Bob Nelson Sr. and the Bob Nelson Real Estate Team have been hosting Military Appreciation Monday Dinners, mainly at The Old Brogue in Great Falls, Va. Funds raised at the monthly dinners, generally held in two sittings, supported different nonprofit military organizations.
‘All good things come to an end.’ On Monday, Dec. 9, after approximately 180 dinners spanning 18 years, Nelson and the team will host their farewell ‘salute’ and hopefully their top fundraising effort of Military Appreciation Mondays. Funds raised from this event will help support Stop Soldier Suicide, the only national nonprofit organization focused solely on solving the issue of suicide among U.S. veterans and service members.
U.S. Army veteran Nick Black, a Fairfax County Public School alum of Langley High School, co-founded Stop Soldier Suicide with veterans Brian Kinsella and Craig Gridelli in 2010. The urgency of veteran suicide was evident to them, driving their mission to address this complex problem.
According to Stop Soldier Suicide, “The key to preventing suicide is to identify, understand, and address the underlying issues — things like financial strain, post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues, and difficulties navigating the transition from military to civilian — before they escalate to a point of crisis.”
The organization’s mission is to “Reduce service member and veteran suicide by using enhanced data insights, focused client acquisition, and suicide-specific intervention services.” Stop Soldier Suicide evaluated data from the 2019 National Violent Death Reporting System to better understand the attributes and life circumstances of veterans who died by suicide using firearms. According to Stop Soldier Suicide, nearly half of all veterans own one or more firearms. The majority of them say they do so as a form of protection. But each day, 17 veterans die by suicide, and 12 of those include a firearm.
In an interview with The Connection on Monday, Dec. 2, Nelson confirmed that individuals from Virginia are eligible for services by Stop Soldier Suicide, “The organization works with various counselors nationwide to provide necessary counseling services,” he said.
Nelson shared an email to him from Crystal Clark,National Donor Engagement at Stop Soldier Suicide. In it, Clark considered that as people gathered around the table for Thanksgiving 2024, she found herself reflecting on her immense gratitude for the work they do at Stop Soldier Suicide.
Writing to Nelson, Clark said, “Your commitment is a beacon of hope, reminding those who’ve served our nation that they are not alone. Together, we are saving lives and giving families the gift of more memories, more laughter, and more time. … Because of you and your supporters, families across the country will be able to break bread with their moms, dads, sisters, and brothers—loved ones who are still here today because of the lifesaving impact you’ve made possible. … Thank you for being a part of this mission,” wrote Clark.
If you or a veteran you know is in crisis, call 984-207-1513 to reach Stop Soldier Suicide.
Or call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and Press 1, or text 838255. Help is available 24/7, and you don't have to be enrolled in Veterans benefits or health care to connect with caring, qualified responders.
To donate to Stop Soldier Suicide, visit https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/donate.
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Not Just a Number Act
On Nov. 18, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Not Just a Number Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) to require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take a more comprehensive look at the factors that best prevent veteran suicide. The legislation was passed as part of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act by a vote of 389-9, with 34 not voting.
Connolly said in a news release that veteran suicide is a “complex problem that requires a holistic approach. … But as it stands now, the VA is limited in the data it can use to study and ultimately prevent veteran suicide. This issue is too important for the VA to be operating with one hand tied behind its back.”
https://connolly.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6164
Connolly said that the Not Just a Number Act “requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand its scope when studying veteran suicide data. … Instead of focusing solely on VA health care utilization, the bill mandates a more holistic approach, considering factors such as education, job training, housing, and other relevant socioeconomic factors. This approach will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the complex, interconnected factors that contribute to veteran suicide and will paint a more accurate picture of the multifaceted challenges our veterans face, enabling us to develop more effective support systems and interventions.”
Text of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, which includes the Not Just a Number Act, is available at https://connolly.house.gov/uploadedfiles/hr_8371.pdf.
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Security Clearance and Mental Health
Stigmas exist around mental health and the security clearance process. However, changes have been made by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) to national security clearance application forms, and its presentations destigmatizing mental health care should reassure service members. It’s rare for mental health to result in a denied security clearance or to adversely impact a current clearance.
On May 28, 2024, as part of mental health awareness month, Dr. Michael Priester, Chief Behavioral Scientist with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency’s Adjudication and Vetting Services spoke to military students and staff at the JAG school (Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School) located on the University of Virginia’s Charlottesville campus.
“If you feel you could benefit from talking to a mental health professional or using medication, you can do so without fear this will impact your ability to hold a security clearance," Priester said. “People think they’re going to lose their clearance, or be considered unable to hack it, if they seek mental health treatment. … In reality, less than one percent of people who failed to gain a clearance or lost their clearance eligibility, did so solely based on a psychological condition,” the Defense Visual Information Distribution System reported Priester as saying.
DCSA is America’s Gatekeeper, “safeguarding the nation as the premier provider of integrated security services – national security is our mission, people are our greatest asset.”
Disqualification for security clearance, based on seeking mental health treatment, is highly unlikely based on data from millions of security investigations at every security level reviewed by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency goes to DCSA.
DCSA, whose mission is to ensure anyone receiving a Department of Defense security clearance is “reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character, and of complete and unswerving loyalty to the United States,” analyzed more than 7.7 million cases that went to DCSA reviewed from 2013 to 2023. Barely 1/100th of 1 percent of cases that resulted in denials or revocations were due to psychological health and additional conditions.
“Seeking mental health support does not pose a risk to gaining or keeping a national security clearance but experiencing a mental health crisis could. In fact, seeking support can help you resolve underlying mental health issues that could negatively affect you, your family, or your career,” states Health.mil, the official website of the Military Health System.
If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis for active military and veterans, call the Military and Veteran Crisis Line and press “1”, or text 838255, or chat with a live counselor on the Crisis Line website. For Spanish, press “2”. Civilians can call 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Linegoes to 988.org.
Resources:
Listen to the Federal News Network, The Mission Continues, Episode 6, the Federal Security Clearance process: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/podcast/the-mission-continues/episode-6-the-federal-security-clearance-process/?utm_source=megamenu&utm_medium=web&utm_content=podcasts&utm_term=resources
Mental Health & Security Clearance Fact Sheet: