More than 50 students, faculty and staff of Lawson State Community College recently participated Operation We Remember, the state's campaign to remember the 139 veterans who died by suicide in 2023 (the latest year data is available).
To honor their lives, LSCC participants planted 139 flags in a public display on the Bessemer campus and the same number on the Birmingham campus. This is the fourth year Lawson State has joined the statewide effort, which comes during National Suicide Prevention Month.
The effort is intended to go beyond the visual impact, according to the Central Alabama Office of Veterans Affairs. Instead, it serves as a reminder that suicide affects everyone, including veterans from all military branches.
In addition, Operation We Remember underscores the need for mental health support, community understanding, and the availability of resources for veterans and their families. Nationally, suicide was the 12th-leading cause of death for Veterans in 2022 and the second-leading cause of death for Veterans under 45 years old.
