Protect Our Heroes

BGB Proposal: Protect Our Heroes

Sheridan Murray, Josh Shackleton, Mercedes Corder and Melanie Burks
BCOM 3310.007, Business Communication
Professor Elizabeth Bruce
2015, December 4

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The following is an excerpt from a suicide letter written by a veteran:
Simple things that everyone else takes for granted are nearly impossible for
me. I cannot laugh or cry. I can barely leave the house. I derive no pleasure
from any activity. Everything simply comes down to passing time until I can
sleep again. Now, to sleep forever seems to be the most merciful thing
(Klimas, 2013). This suicide letter is from one veteran who decided to take his
own life. According to NBC news, 22 veterans just like him take their life
everyday. Imagine reading 22 suicide letters just like this one from those who
have sacrificed their safety to protect this country every single day (22
Veterans, 2013). This is a tragedy that has befallen Dallas and the United
States as a whole. We need to create more awareness of this issue by
educating the public about veteran suicides, post traumatic stress disorder,
and the issues with veteran affairs clinics. To help stop this tragedy in the
Dallas area, we will be proposing programs and events that will raise
awareness and support for our veterans.
Veteran Suicide Facts
The suicide rate among military veterans in the United States is currently
at an astounding rate. Approximately 8,030 veterans commit suicide each
year; that number broken down to a daily amount shows that 22 veterans
commit suicide every single day (22 Veterans, 2013). 22 deaths that can be
prevented every day. Out of those 8,030 veterans, 83% of military suicides are
committed by males, which makes them three times more likely to commit
suicide than females. Female veteran suicide rates have more than doubled
the rates for suicide than civilians (Zarembo, 2015). These statistics indicate
there is a serious issue happening internally to our veterans, given that far
more military persons are taking their own lives than civilians. Currently, the
United States has more veteran deaths by suicide than the total death count
for the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan combined (Skerrett, 2013). The
death count for these veterans, who have protected our freedom in Iraq and
Afghanistan, has totaled up to 6,840 since the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003
(Magda, Fetterhoff, & Hadar, 2015). This provides us with two truths. First, that
we are exceeding at providing support for our troops while they are in these
war zones. Second, it shows that we are not providing the sufficient support
needed for these soldiers when they return back from combat. Two important
questions remain, what is causing these high suicide rates and what are the
preventive measures being taken?

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that may
develop after an individual is exposed to one or more traumatic events
(Maguen, 2008). For our military members, it has become increasingly
common, during a time of war, to be exposed to several traumatic events, such
as one's life being at risk on a daily basis while in combat. According to a study
done by PBS, the effects from PTSD may cause symptoms like:
Reliving or re-experiencing a traumatic event,
Dodging friends, families, and locations that may remind them of a traumatic
incidents,
Emotional numbing,
A decrease in hobbies that they once took pleasure in,
Paranoia,
Uncontrolled temper,
Problems sleeping, and
Trouble focusing on simple tasks (Maguen, 2008).
These symptoms can develop into severe mental illnesses for some individuals,
including major forms of depression (Maguen, 2008). If their symptoms stay
untreated long enough, these veterans may find it extremely difficult to cope
with even the smallest struggles in life. Ultimately, they may choose to end
their suffering by taking their own life. It has been estimated that over
300,000 veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD from Iraq and Afghanistan
alone (Skerrett, 2013). This only represents the veterans that were brave
enough to declare to others that they have an emotional struggle caused by
the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. According to Dr. Maguen, who found in a
RAND study, that it has been estimated that 1 out of every 5 veterans from
Iraq and Afghanistan struggle with PTSD or another type of mental illness
(Maguen, 2008). PTSD for most veterans is an issue they struggle with every
day. It was found in an article written by Dr. Maguen, that most veterans tend
to relive traumatic events that have happened to them. The article also states
that some wake up at night from awful nightmares. Dr. Maguen states that
PTSD can be triggered by something as simple as a loud noise (Maguen, 2008).
These little triggers can disrupt and distract the victim for hours before they
are able to regain focus. It is unfortunate that stigmas and bad reputations
have been built around veterans who struggle with PTSD. The biggest stigma
being fears of being seen as weak (Maguen, 2008). Others become fearful of
veterans and may shame them for problems they cannot control. With this

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pitfall, it creates an opportunity to help our veterans by creating awareness to
the public and supporting those who have served.
Veteran Affairs
The United States government currently offers help to our veterans
through strategically located clinics throughout the U.S. Care and treatment
offered to veterans at these clinics is usually at no cost to the veteran.
According to va.gov, there are approximately 90 Veteran Affairs clinics located
throughout Texas, only five are located in the Dallas area (U.S. Department,
2010). Currently, there is approximately 106,414 veterans living in Dallas
county (United States Census Bureau, 2015). Statistically, we could estimate
that 35 veterans, within Dallas County, will take their lives this year. Within
Dallas County, there is a larger VA clinic, which is the regions designated VA
hospital. However, the largest problem within the VA clinic is the wait time for
a veteran to get an appointment. It has been reported that the wait time to
get into the VA clinic for a mental health appointment could take up to 30 days
or more for some veterans (VA Chief, 2014). Veterans are being forced to wait
up to a month or more to see a doctor for help they need immediately. For
most, they cannot wait for 30 days. When dealing with issues like PTSD and
major depression, time is of the utmost importance because these veterans are
in a fragile state of mind. A veteran being told they must wait for 30 days to
get the help they need could make their problem worse. Without getting the
help they need, they could ultimately decide to take their life as a final solution
to their problem. The veterans that have screened positive for PTSD or major
depression have reported: Only 23 to 40 percent received professional mental
health care in the last year and only 38 to 45 percent were interested in
receiving help (Maguen, 2008). This information also indicates a strong need
for additional awareness and education for veterans and the general public.
The Dallas area needs to understand the struggles our heroes go through, so
we will be able to give them additional opportunities to help a struggling
veteran. Dallas needs to be able to provide more solutions to give to veterans
other than telling them to wait 30 days. (VA chief, 2014).
USAA and 22 Kill
Our team at USAA is dedicated to helping our military heroes by
supporting the veterans that have honorably served our country. We plan on
helping the veterans in the local Dallas area by raising awareness through our
events and program. We will give our veterans more resources for support by
creating a 24/7 veteran support line in our current USAA offices. We are also

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going to increase our efforts by pairing up with a local organization called 22
Kill. 22 Kill is a non-profit local organization that is focused on supporting
veterans in the local area of Dallas. They are able to support veterans by
helping to break down stereotypes about veterans. They also raise awareness
about veteran related issues such as suicide and unemployment. Additionally,
they try to educate the public about these issues in order to gain additional
support for our heroes (Team #22kill, 2015). They do all this by word of mouth,
by using networking through local businesses and by sponsoring events. For
example, one event that 22 Kill has hosted or sponsored are motorcycle rallies,
sporting events, walks, marches, runs, and more. 22 Kill has also established a
program called the Battle Buddy program (Team #22kill, 2015). The intent of
this program is to link individuals in need with someone who is willing to
support and talk to them. The supporting person does not need to be a
veteran, but it could be anyone who wants to support veterans. 22 Kill is a
great asset for USAA to partner with because they already have a strong
foothold in the area. Also, they have previously networked with many of the
local businesses in the area and have a strong social media presence to raise
awareness about the program. They will also be a great resource for our
company to use in the future if any of our veteran customers need additional
assistance we are unable to provide.

March for Life Event Proposal

To help kick off awareness for the program, we will be hosting a rucksack
march at Klyde Warren Park on Veterans Day, 2016 from 9:30am-12:30pm.
The event is going to be a two mile march, which is four laps around Klyde
Warren Park. 22 Kill is going to help with the event by donating Gatorade for all
attendees. They will also be loaning rucksacks for all attendees to wear as they
march. The first 150 attendees who finish the march will receive a choice of a
free hat or t-shirt. Free hats and t-shirts is a fun way to motivate attendees,
and they will help advertise for the protect our heroes program. Along with the
march, there will be hot dogs and chips provided by Tom Thumb for all
attendees to enjoy. We expect 1,200 attendees and we will provide enough
food and Gatorade to feed all that attend. The most important aspect of the
event is our informational booths. There will be three veteran booths
throughout the park for veterans and the attendees to visit, share information,
get educated, and have fun. This event will create awareness in the Dallas area
and show why we need to help and support the veterans who have served.
Attendees will also get to experience a rucksack march alongside our brothers

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and sisters that have ensured our freedom. Veterans can share how programs,
like Protect Our Heroes, have saved lives. They will be able to talk with other
veterans and hear their personal stories and traumatic experiences. It will help
the attendees understand more of why this issue is important and why veteran
suicides need to be stopped. At the end of the march, we will acquire the
rucksacks and return them to 22 kill. There will be volunteers at the end of the
march that will ask the attendees with the rucksacks, How does it feel to take
the weight of the rucksack off? They will also be asked to, imagine keeping
that weight on them for the rest of their lives. These questions will create
empathy towards those that have served and an awareness of the pain
veterans suffer.
Protect our Heroes
The USAA program is called Protect Our Heroes and our goal is to
increase veteran mental health awareness. This program is a 24/7 hotline that
will have trained employees available to help veterans get connected with
veteran support groups in the Dallas community area. Our USAA staff will be
trained to handle any highly stressful situation that a veteran customer might
be experiencing. We will hire a military psychologist that will train our
employees on how to handle every situation possible when dealing with
veteran customers. For example, if a customer calls and is expressing extreme
signs of PTSD or expressing suicidal thoughts, we will direct them to 911 for
help immediately. 22 Kill will also help with this program by providing trained
employees and support groups to ensure our soldiers have a shoulder to lean
on.
Marketing
Marketing will be started at local bars, tattoo shops, and gyms. These
businesses will be given business cards and flyers to advertise the March for
Life event as well as the Protect Our Heroes program. Local grocery stores and
gas stations will also be involved. Baggers will be given cards to put into
grocery bags and flyers to be posted on the buildings, as well as car
windshields. The local recruiters offices have offered their assistance in putting
up flyers and advertising in their offices and social pages as well. Protect our
Heroes has both a Facebook page and an Instagram page, as well as the
hashtags #MarchForLife and #ProtectOurHeroes. Social media will help aid in
awareness around the Dallas area. We will ask everyone to utilize these social
media web pages and share what they have learned regarding our program.

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USAA has also included a link on their website to our Facebook and Instagram
webpages. They will also send links to these pages in weekly emails to USAA
customers. USAA will also be incorporating a press 9 for more information on
how you can help option on their customer service help line. Along with our
social media pages, there is an app being developed for smart phones and
tablets, that will connect veterans with other veterans in the area and local
support groups. This application will be available once the security
malfunctions are repaired. We plan for the Battle Buddy app to be ready by
Veterans Day, 2016.
Staffing
All USAA employees with be trained by a military psychologist. This
military psychologist will come visit our building to train a select number of
employees who have the ability to handle any escalated situation, regarding a
veteran customer experiencing mental health issues. The employees will have
guidelines that they must follow to ensure their safety and the safety of the
customer. In case of employees retiring or moving onto different roles, the
military psychologist will come twice a year to answer any questions that new
employees might have and follow up with the current employees, who may
have questions about their previous experiences.
Budget

Shirts and Hats

First 150 people for finish

march

$500

Flyers and Cards

$200

Website

$700

Food and Drink

Hot dogs, chips, Gatorade,

and water

$0

Informational Booths

3 Booths

$400

Psychologist

Visit twice a year

$44,9
86

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Rent for Klyde
Warren Park

$3,00
0

Total

$49,7
86

Financing the Protect our Heroes program and March for Life event will cost
approximately $49,786. For the March for life event, we will advertise with
flyers and cards at local bars, grocery stores, tattoo parlors, etc., which will
cost $200. Our march will be hosted at Klyde Warren Park. USAA estimated that
an event like ours would cost about $3,000. The first 150 people, who finish
the march, will receive a free t-shirt or hat will cost $500. We will have free
drinks, hot dogs, and chips donated by Tom Thumb Grocery Store and 22 Kill.
Surrounding the March for life Event, USAA will have three informational
booths, that will provide brochures about communicating effectively with our
veterans and soldiers. These booths will be a one time charge of $400. To
maintain all of USAAs social media platforms and development of the battle
buddy app will cost $700. The most expensive part of the budget is hiring a
military psychologist, which will be cost $44,493 for two visits a year to USAA.
Based on a Psychologist salary article, a psychologist costs about $88,986 a
year in the Dallas area (Psychologist salaries, 2015). As a result, USAA decided
that $44,493 for two visits a year would fairly compensate them for training the
USAA employees. USAA will provide $24,893. We would also ask that the
Dallas Regional Chamber to contribute the remaining half of $24,893.
What we are proposing is a two part program, in order to help support
our veterans and save lives. The first part of the program consists of a one
time event at Klyde Warren Park called the March For Life. We are going to
market this program to the public by using flyers, social media, and word of
mouth. Veterans, their families, and anyone who supports veterans are
welcome to come out to our event, which is open to adults and children. The
March For Life will consist of a 2 mile rucksack march around Klyde Warren
Park. Military apparel will be provided for attendees to use by 22 Kill. We will
also have informational booths set up during the event to help spread
awareness about the struggles veterans face. At the information booths, we
plan to pass out additional information about how veterans can be helped. The
second part of the program is to hire a military trained psychologist to visit
USSA, and train select members of our company on how to support veterans in
a crisis situations. Our phone lines are currently manned 24/7, which allows us

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to have coverage for whenever veterans need help. This training will allow our
employees, to employ the techniques they learned, to help de-escalate a
situation of a veteran in need. These employees will also be able to provide
additional resources to veterans, if needed. Here at USAA, our motto is
education and support saves lives. We know this to be true because we have
see some of our employees in crisis situations before. Weve seen these
employees struggle each and every day. The tragic part of this situation was
that they were not able to get the help from the VA quick enough. Fortunately
for these employees, they were directed to another organization, 22 Kill. At 22
Kill, they were able to support these veterans by providing them with the
support they needed and treated them like family. 22 kill helped educate them
on PTSD and other mental illnesses caused by traumatic events. In the end,
their lives were saved because of a program identical to protect our heroes.
With the Dallas Chamber of Commerce support, we have the opportunity to
create a program and event, that can reach more veterans and save more
lives. For these reasons, we know that education and support can save lives.
Are you ready to save lives?

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References
22 veterans commit suicide each day: VA report. (2013). NBC News. Retrieved
from
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/01/16811249-22-veteranscommit-suicide-each-day-va-report
Klimas, L. (2013, June 25). Heartbreaking suicide note from 30-year-old iraq
veteran to his family:
I am free. The Blaze. Retrieved from
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/25/heartbreaking-suicide-notefrom-30-year-old-iraq-veteran-to-his-family-i-am-free/
Magda, J.L., Fetterhoff, W., & Hadar, Mary. (2013). Faces of the fallen. The
Washington Post.
Retrieved from http://apps.washingtonpost.com/national/fallen/
Maguen, S. (2008, October 16). Soldiers of Conscience. PBS. Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/pov/soldiersofconscience/special_ptsd.php
Psychologist salaries in Dallas, Texas. (2015). Retrieved from
http://www1.salary.com/TX/Dallas/Psychologist-Salary.html
Skerrett, P.J. (2013, November 11). On Veterans Day, dont let the invisible wounds of PTSD
remain hidden. Harvard Health Publications. Retrieved from

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/on-veterans-day-dont-let-theinvisible-wounds-of-ptsd-remain-hidden-201311116858
State and county quick facts. (2013). Retrieved from
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/48113.html
Team #22KILL-Veteran Advocates. (2015). Retrieved from
https://www.22kill.com/team-22kill/
U.S. Department of Veterans affairs. (2010, July 23). Retrieved from

http://www.va.gov/DIRECTORY/guide/state.asp?dnum=ALL&STATE=TX
VA Chief: Vets forced to wait 30 days for medical care higher than first
reported. (2014, June 19).
CBS News. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/va-chief-vetsforced-to-wait-30-days-for-medical-care-higher-than-first-reported/

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Zarembo, A. (2015, January 14). Detailed study confirms high suicide rates among recent
veterans.
Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-veteran-suicide-20150115-story.html