July 17, 2025 • 5 mins
Scott Harvey, US Marine Corps Veteran and with American Legion Post 2 joins us to discuss why there are crosses set up on US 131.
More information can be found here: https://www.22aday.org/
More information can be found here: https://www.22aday.org/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The cross on the backdrop of one thirty one is
so dramatic to bring attention to something very serious. This
is West Michigan's morning News. Steve Kelly and Laurence Smith
in studio. Marine Corps veteran also a member of the
American Legion Posts two. Scott Harvey in studio with us today. Scott,
(00:21):
thank you so much for dropping by.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're very welcome.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Talk to us a little bit about what folks that
we get calls about this, what folks are seeing at
one thirty one, and we'll tie it in to twenty
two a day dot Org, a website you should visit
if you haven't already, but talk to us about the initiative.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Well, it started down in ann Arbor. Two families had
suicides in their veterans, suicides in their families, and they
started putting out crosses and then it evolved into what
it is today where we put out twenty two crosses
a day for thirty days, and they brought this to
(00:59):
West Michigan and this is the third year along one
thirty one there and those crosses represent the twenty two
suicides on average between service people and veterans in the
United States.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
When and I think the representative visually is so important.
You can marginalize a number. When you especially talk about
it nationally, it just seems to fade away unless you're
one of those family members affected by it. Let's talk
about the hope though, and the help that this points.
(01:35):
This initiative points people who may be in trouble, veterans
who may be in trouble towards.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
It is very important because as early as three years ago,
we didn't have a whole lot of attention going to
this epidemic we call it, and now there's a national
hotline that people can call. You think a nine one one,
Well it's nine to eight eight and you can call
that if you have issues. The other thing it does
(02:04):
is it brings families out because they can add the
names of their loved one to the crosses and those
names will stay on those crosses as long as the
program runs. And we get people just about every day
coming out and sharing their loved ones with us, and.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
That's part of this. This is open for the public.
The hope is that you understand this is a major
crisis and you can help our veterans. But we were
talking right before we came on the ear about the
healing for families with us, and you've spoken to so
many of them that this is a very big deal
for their closure.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Absolutely. Saturday was a great example. We had a family
come out three generations and they came out to put
the name of their grandfather father on the list on
the cross, and there was another couple of that was
just there for a brother and the camaraderie they were
hugging each other, and it becomes like you said, closure,
(03:06):
it's closure for those families.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
And psychologically, we're making some advances with PTSD, and we've
talked about it for a long time, especially as it
relates to combat veterans. I know the Colonel God Rest
his Soul talked about everything but combat, and I think
that's so true with a lot of veterans. And that's
(03:30):
not the only reason why many faces PTSD and feel
like this is the only decision, the only outcome for
them in their lives. But the VA can be a
great resource to find medical and psychological help too.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, the VA was there Saturday as well, and the
Michigan Department of Military Affairs, so they have come on
board this year and are helping us promote they're giving
us literature, they're giving us resources. And again, this is
one hundred percent volunteer group, and it's amazing. Each year
(04:09):
more and more people come out and help.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
How else can we help? What else do you need?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Well, I think just the awareness and then on August ninth,
and we do this every day at noon, but on
August ninth, at noon we'll have the closing ceremony and
the memorial and all the names will be read. So
if we get closer to the ninth and we could
promote that again, that would be great.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Come back, well, you're welcome back anytime. In the meantime,
twenty two a day dot org to find out more information.
American Legion Post two does a great job with this.
Marine Corps veteran Scott Harvey, thank you for coming in today.
God bless you.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Thank you very much, God bless everybody out there.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Would radio news time now forty one Let's get to
traffic and weather once
The cross on the backdrop of one thirty one is
so dramatic to bring attention to something very serious. This
is West Michigan's morning News. Steve Kelly and Laurence Smith
in studio. Marine Corps veteran also a member of the
American Legion Posts two. Scott Harvey in studio with us today. Scott,
(00:21):
thank you so much for dropping by.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
You're very welcome.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Talk to us a little bit about what folks that
we get calls about this, what folks are seeing at
one thirty one, and we'll tie it in to twenty
two a day dot Org, a website you should visit
if you haven't already, but talk to us about the initiative.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Well, it started down in ann Arbor. Two families had
suicides in their veterans, suicides in their families, and they
started putting out crosses and then it evolved into what
it is today where we put out twenty two crosses
a day for thirty days, and they brought this to
(00:59):
West Michigan and this is the third year along one
thirty one there and those crosses represent the twenty two
suicides on average between service people and veterans in the
United States.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
When and I think the representative visually is so important.
You can marginalize a number. When you especially talk about
it nationally, it just seems to fade away unless you're
one of those family members affected by it. Let's talk
about the hope though, and the help that this points.
(01:35):
This initiative points people who may be in trouble, veterans
who may be in trouble towards.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
It is very important because as early as three years ago,
we didn't have a whole lot of attention going to
this epidemic we call it, and now there's a national
hotline that people can call. You think a nine one one,
Well it's nine to eight eight and you can call
that if you have issues. The other thing it does
(02:04):
is it brings families out because they can add the
names of their loved one to the crosses and those
names will stay on those crosses as long as the
program runs. And we get people just about every day
coming out and sharing their loved ones with us, and.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
That's part of this. This is open for the public.
The hope is that you understand this is a major
crisis and you can help our veterans. But we were
talking right before we came on the ear about the
healing for families with us, and you've spoken to so
many of them that this is a very big deal
for their closure.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Absolutely. Saturday was a great example. We had a family
come out three generations and they came out to put
the name of their grandfather father on the list on
the cross, and there was another couple of that was
just there for a brother and the camaraderie they were
hugging each other, and it becomes like you said, closure,
(03:06):
it's closure for those families.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
And psychologically, we're making some advances with PTSD, and we've
talked about it for a long time, especially as it
relates to combat veterans. I know the Colonel God Rest
his Soul talked about everything but combat, and I think
that's so true with a lot of veterans. And that's
(03:30):
not the only reason why many faces PTSD and feel
like this is the only decision, the only outcome for
them in their lives. But the VA can be a
great resource to find medical and psychological help too.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, the VA was there Saturday as well, and the
Michigan Department of Military Affairs, so they have come on
board this year and are helping us promote they're giving
us literature, they're giving us resources. And again, this is
one hundred percent volunteer group, and it's amazing. Each year
(04:09):
more and more people come out and help.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
How else can we help? What else do you need?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Well, I think just the awareness and then on August ninth,
and we do this every day at noon, but on
August ninth, at noon we'll have the closing ceremony and
the memorial and all the names will be read. So
if we get closer to the ninth and we could
promote that again, that would be great.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Come back, well, you're welcome back anytime. In the meantime,
twenty two a day dot org to find out more information.
American Legion Post two does a great job with this.
Marine Corps veteran Scott Harvey, thank you for coming in today.
God bless you.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Thank you very much, God bless everybody out there.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Would radio news time now forty one Let's get to
traffic and weather once
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