Fort Bragg Harley Davidson is presenting the Fighting For Mental Health event on April 6 at their shop on 3950 Sycamore Dairy Rd. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors, non-profits, and food trucks will all be featured. General admission is free. For more information, please contact Sgt. Elias Burgos at 786-518-1944.
According to the National Health Institute Report featuring The Health Status of United States Veterans, veterans have worse outcomes than non-veterans in adjusting for age and other factors. Potential reasons why veterans suffer from chronic diseases, more than the general population, include physical and psychological stress from combat duty, deployments, physical or mental trauma and the necessity to maintain required levels of physical fitness for active duty. Mental health issues are prevalent among veterans. 43 percent of veterans within this study experience post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or substance misuse. Depression is a diagnosis associated with higher risks of morbidity and mortality. Veterans have a 1.5 times higher rate of suicide than the general population.
The Fighting For Mental Health team, consisting of Sgt. Joshua Harmon, Sgt. Jonathan Lovegren, Sgt. Elias Burgos, Sgt. Katherine Carrizales and Spc. David Rodriguez, shares a team and composite perspective on the relevance and importance of mental health to the service person.
“Inspiration for the Fort Bragg Fighting For Mental Health was created to support those who have experienced mental health struggles or had a loved one struggle. Along with my two co-founders, we have created this safe space because we have had similar experiences, whether personally or in a close relationship. There are so many military service members who either do not know where or who to reach out for mental support,” they said. “This is why one of our main objectives is to raise awareness of the 988 call or text suicide hotline. There is a stigma in the military about getting mental health care. It is something that has been passed down from prior generations. We want to help everyone in and out of the military community to realize there is no shame in getting help. FMH is here to bring awareness to the mental health cause and destigmatize it. Every single person whether a service member, veteran, stay-at-home mom, first responder, or teacher, all know how important they are to those around them and receiving help makes them brave. We have a motto, 'Tomorrow needs you.' FMH makes sure everyone understands how important they are.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Suicide and Crisis hotline by calling or texting 988. For the Veteran Crisis Line, press 1. Your identity is private when you call the hotline, the crisis councilors are there to help.
It is free and available twenty-four hours and three-hundred and sixty-five days.

(Photo: The Fort Bragg Fighting for Mental Health team poses for a photo. FMH's motto is "Tomorrow needs you." Photo courtesy of Sgt. Elias Burgos)