County legislator to march 66 miles and raise awareness of veteran suicide
To Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon, the epidemic of veteran suicide is not discussed as much as it should. He’s trying to change that.
Mr. Lennon — a United States Marine for nearly 20 years who was recently promoted to lieutenant colonel as a reservist — will be waking up bright and early on Saturday, Sept. 20, and heading over to the Orient Fire Department by 9 a.m. From there, he will begin a 66-mile walk to Armed Forces Plaza in Hauppauge to raise awareness of the tragic issue.
The soldier-turned-lawmaker, who will carry both the American flag and the Suicide Awareness and Remembrance flag during his long trek, said 22 veterans a day take their lives on average.
He has known several of them over the years.
“A neighbor of mine who was in the Marine Corps took his own life. Another Marine I had as a reservist took his own life,” said Mr. Lennon, who represents the county’s Sixth District — which includes East Shoreham, Mount Sinai and Rocky Point. “The branch doesn’t matter. The rank, male [or] female, in combat [or] not in combat, it doesn’t matter.”
Joining him on the walk will be three Marine veterans and Vanessa Lockel, the executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
The group will leave Orient and venture down Route 25, taking a break every three hours. The halfway point will be a stop at J&R’s Steakhouse in Calverton, on Saturday at 9 p.m.
Their walk concludes Sunday at 11 a.m. with a ceremony raising the SAR flag at the plaza.
Supporters are encouraged to join the procession at any time.
“Our mission is to bring awareness and to bring this number, 22 a day, to zero, and we’re going to do it together,” Mr. Lennon said. “That’s why I want to see the community and a bunch of folks. You don’t have to be a veteran. You can just be someone who’s never served and is just learning about the issue. Come and walk with us, because then you can have a story to tell people, and you know this is happening.”
In 2022, there were 6,407 veteran suicides nationwide, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs last year. The report also showed that veterans account for more than double the suicide rate of non-veterans.
Mr. Lennon sponsored legislation that was signed last year designating Sept. 22 as “Veteran Suicide Awareness and Remembrance Day” in the county. The date is in recognition of the 22 veteran suicides each day.
He also sponsored legislation that was signed in June, which has the county now officially recognizing the SAR flag and has it flying on its own flagpole in Armed Forces Plaza at the H. Lee Dennison Building.
Suffolk County is home to nearly 50,000 veterans, more than any other county in the state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“If anyone is having thoughts, I always encourage them to go to a group therapy session, and you don’t even have to go there to say anything. Just listen,” the legislator said. “You’ll hear things and go, ‘Oh, I was thinking that too. Oh, I experienced that, it’s not just me. Others may feel like this.’ Your thoughts and your feelings of a situation are not alone.”
Vets can contact the Veterans Crisis Line, a 24/7 confidential crisis support. If anyone needs support, call 988, then dial 1; text 838255; or chat online on the group’s website, veteranscrisisline.net.
