From the Front Lines to the Podium: Why I Advocate for Veteran Mental Health
- David Kendrick
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
My military career started in Rochester, NY, in 2005. As a 17-year-old upset with life and the limited options in the hood, I decided to create a better future. I remember riding the bus and pulling the cord to get off right in front of an Army recruiting station.
Two months later, I left as a 19D (Cavalry Scout) with a one-way ticket to the War on Terror. I went to war at 19 in 2006 with the 3-61 Cavalry Regiment. By 2007, I returned home as a 20-year-old man, shot by a sniper and carrying the weight of severe PTSD.
The Family Cost of War: A Mother’s Perspective
I recently received a call from my mom. “Jr, I don’t think I can go through this again,” she said. She was referring to the possibility of sending another child to combat.
When I first deployed, I gave her a photo of us at my senior ball. It was my way of saying, "If I die, I want you to cherish this." We went from that memory to photos of her watching me struggle through physical therapy. Now, as tensions rise in Iran, I’m thinking deeply about the mental health of military families. My mother is facing the reality of the "Middle East cycle" all over again.
Leading the Conversation on Veteran Mental Health
I’ve dedicated my life to advocating for the mental health of veterans. As the owner of Lion Speaking Agency, I speak for those who can’t find the words. I recently sat down for an interview with 11Alive News to discuss these very issues. Being tapped by major news outlets reinforces that my work as a national veteran speaker is making an impact.
Every time I step on stage, I leave a piece of myself with the audience. I tell the story of the veteran who doesn't know how to tell theirs—and the stories of those who are no longer here to speak.
The Data Behind the Sacrifice
As of March 13, 2026, reports indicate that 11–13 service members have already died in this current conflict. That represents 13 families receiving the same devastating message my family once did. This is how the original War on Terror escalated: a few veterans here, a few there, until it became America’s longest war.
According to USAFacts.org, that era ended with:
Over 7,000 service members dead.
Over 50,000 wounded.
Preventing the Next Veteran Suicide Pandemic
We must consider the mental health of the Active Duty service members being sent to Iran. Between 2010 and 2012, we hit the height of a veteran suicide pandemic. The 2012 VA Suicide Data Report famously noted that 22 veterans a day died by suicide.
I was almost one of those statistics. In 2012, I survived my own suicide attempt. As a leader in PTSD awareness, I have to ask: Are we ready to see that era of loss repeat itself with a new generation of veterans?
My mission remains the same: to ensure that while history might repeat itself in conflict, we do not repeat the failure to protect the mental health of those who serve.
