Chip Hughes & John Bell
In late 2020, a veteran soldier was in a mental health crisis. Distraught, he left his home in the family RV, his wife convinced it would be the last time she saw him. A Charlotte-based veterans organization, The Independence Fund, who had provided suicide prevention training to him in the past, attempted to assist the veteran through local law enforcement.
The first county law enforcement department The Independence Fund reached was understaffed, overstretched, and was understandably concerned over the potential threat their force may face with a combat-experienced veteran in a mental health crisis. They were unable to appropriately respond. Fortunately, the veteran was physically in the next county over, where a combat Veteran deputy was on his shift that night. Out of shared military experience, this deputy felt for his brother-in-arms and volunteered to stay on duty until this was resolved – a key element in the de-escalation of this cris