BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – Biloxi High School JROTC cadets marched 22 times around the gym on Monday. This number represents the average daily suicide rate of veterans in the United States.

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

Byrd is Biloxi’s Air Force JROTC mentor. 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 stated a couple of times that if it wasn’t for me and my brother, he would have been one of the 22. It’s a tough subject, it’s serious for me,” junior Avery Torrens said.

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

Larry Byrd, retired US Army Sergeant First Class, echoed the sentiment.

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

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