July 28, 1914. December 7, 1941. June 25, 1950. November 1, 1955. September 11, 2001.

Each of these dates signifies the beginning of war, when men and women bravely put on the uniform to defend the country they love. They answer the call to fight in foreign lands, living through unimaginable carnage and destruction. Then, if they are lucky, they come home. After months away in dangerous war zones, these men and women are expected to fit right back into a society that can’t comprehend the battle our veterans continue to fight on a daily basis. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) causes veterans to relive their nightmares over and over, adding unbearable pressure and pain to their struggle to assimilate. And every day, 22 veterans give into that darkness.

As a former Marine, Sgt Steven Hudson knows war doesn’t end on the battlefield. He knows the daily struggle to find his purpose in the civilian world, to fight off harrowing memories. He knows what it’s like to lose fellow military veterans, to war and suicide. He knows what it’s like to walk in as a Marine is attempting suicide with a knife and physically fighting him for control of the weapon, even getting stabbed in the process. He also knows what it’s like to get that Marine the help he needs. With The 22, we, the community of Harrison and surrounding areas, will raise money to help veterans get the support they need to live life after war to the fullest. Each day 22 veterans take their own lives because they do not know how to deal with the stress. One life is too many.