Wounded Warrior Project at 2024 Military Influencers Conference: Discussing Strategies for Veteran Care and Suicide Prevention

October 1, 2024 – Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) will share best practices in veteran and military support at the 2024 Military Influencers Conference. The event is one of the largest gatherings of military community leaders and organizations. It provides a platform for sharing knowledge, strategies, and solutions to improve the lives of veterans and military families.

Wounded Warrior Project has a long history of collaborating with military and veterans service organizations to expand resources that address the most pressing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers. Veterans and experts from WWP™ will offer best practices and insights from their work and outcomes from some of their latest partnerships.

Collaborative Approach to Suicide Prevention

The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates around 17 veterans die by suicide each day; a rate 72% higher than the general public. Lyndsay Tkach, director of Mental and Brain Health Services at WWP, will join a panel titled Face the Fight Fireside Chat with USAA: Pioneering Progress and Future Goals in Suicide Prevention to discuss WWP’s participation in a USAA-led coalition aiming to cut the veteran suicide rates in half by 2030. Tkach oversees suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention efforts for more than 250,000 registered warriors and family members.

Helping Families Navigate the Veteran Care System and Self Care

Military caregivers Jennifer Jenkins and Cindy Parsons will lead a discussion titled, It Takes a Village. Audiences will hear about their journeys navigating care for their loved ones who served. This talk will explore the importance of a cohesive support network for veterans and those caring for them. Among those caring for a veteran or service member aged 60 or younger, 1 in 5 contemplated suicide in the last year, according to new research from the RAND Institute.  

Caregivers and family members of warriors registered with WWP can access many of the same resources as veterans. Mental wellness programs are the most common type of service requested by WWP-registered family members and caregivers.

Setting Up Gen Z and Military Service Members for Mental Health Success

Close to 40% of young warriors, ages 18-24, surveyed* by WWP had suicidal thoughts in the past year. This marked the highest prevalence of recent suicidal thoughts across any age range surveyed by WWP. Fortunately, the same survey also found warriors with strong social support are less likely to have suicidal thoughts.

In the panel Bridging Generations: Transformative Approaches to Mental Health for Veterans and Gen Z, WWP warrior Dan Miller will join speakers from The Mission Continues and Operation Healing Forces to discuss actions to build stronger connections and support systems for the next generation of service members.

Elevating Veteran Voices to Foster the Public’s Support

Wounded Warrior Project will lead a session on strategies for lifting veteran voices to build and maintain the public’s awareness and support for military families. Veteran Nick Morrison and military caregiver Mary Tallouzi will discuss how sharing their experiences has helped transform their relationship with trauma, leaving them feeling refreshed, motivated, and hopeful for the future.

The 2024 Military Influencer’s Conference takes place Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Atlanta.

*Source: Wounded Warrior Project Warrior Survey, Wave 2 (conducted June 15-Aug 24, 2022).

Contact: — Kaitlin Fohlin, Public Relations, kfohlin@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.776.7169

About Wounded Warrior Project

Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more about Wounded Warrior Project.