Ondray Cleveland completed two tours of duty in Vietnam between ‘68 and ’71. The Soundview resident said his transition back to civilian life on his return to the U.S. was not plain sailing. Later, he would join the navy for two years, before ultimately leaving the armed services for good.
A 2022 study from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs finds suicide rates decreased for veterans in 2020 compared to 2019. However, it still ranked as the second-leading cause of death for veterans under age 45.