HomeNewsArticle Display

117 ARW Holds Run for Veterans

117 ARW Holds Run for Veterans

22 participants run 1 mile to help bring awareness to the lives of 22 veterans lost to suicide each day during the First Veterans Suicide Awareness Run at the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base, Birmingham, Alabama September 7, 2018. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by: Mr. Ken Johnson)

117 ARW Holds Run for Veterans

22 participants run 1 mile to help bring awareness to the lives of 22 veterans lost to suicide each day during the First Veterans Suicide Awareness Run at the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base, Birmingham, Alabama September 7, 2018. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by: Mr. Ken Johnson)

117 ARW Holds Run for Veterans

22 participants run 1 mile to help bring awareness to the lives of 22 veterans lost to suicide each day during the First Veterans Suicide Awareness Run at the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base, Birmingham, Alabama September 7, 2018. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by: Mr. Ken Johnson)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --

The First Veterans Suicide Awareness Run was held here at Sumpter Smith ANG Base today.

A collective 22 mile run was organized in order to bring awareness to the lives of 22 veterans that are taken every day due to suicide.

The Health and Wellness Crew along with Team Birmingham Booster Club and Team Red White and Blue hosted the event. Registration began at 8 a.m. and participants began running at 9 a.m. The event ended with a cook out and fellowship at the base gazebo.

Staff Sgt. Joshuia Overton, Crew Chief at the 117th Maintenance Group, invited members of the wing to participate in the run. The team ran the mile to show people that they are here for them.

“We can help them, suicide is not the answer,” said Overton.

There are many organizations such as Team RWB and Veterans Crisis Line that are available to help veterans.

For more information visit the veteranscrisisline.net