Courtesy Photo / U.S. Army
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Chris Madsen is on a mission.
The chairman of the Fremont Veterans Park Committee is looking to eradicate suicides among military veterans. He is one of the organizers for the Flags for Forgotten Soldiers program scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.
Flags for Forgotten Solders was founded by Howard Berry in memory of his son, Joshua, who died by suicide in 2013. Joshua suffered from PTSD after serving in Afghanistan and witnessing the Fort Hood shooting in November of 2009 in Texas.
The Berry family became one of hundreds of families to lose a veteran to suicide every month in the United States. The mission of Flags for Forgotten Soldiers is to organize displays in each of the 50 states.
When the program began, there were an average 660 veteran suicides a month. That number has decreased to 504.
“I think we have to bring awareness to it and just keep pushing (the message) out there,” Madsen said. “I think that is the best line of defense in bringing the number down to 504 and eventually lower. I made myself a promise that I will keep doing this event until that number is zero.”
In 2018, Meredith Smith brought Flags for Forgotten Soldiers to Fremont after losing her father to suicide in August of 2017. Allen Way was a member of the Fremont High School Class of 1964. A Vietnam veteran, Way suffered from PTSD and had been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. Following his death he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
Madsen said Smith will be in attendance at Sunday’s event. The program will include the national anthem and other patriotic songs by Nathan Wade Andrewson.
“A representative from the VA will also be there,” Madsen said. “We will place these flags in unison throughout the park. We will break up into teams to do so. We’ll have banners and flyers there that will also stay up the entire month. We want people to be aware that this is the number of veterans taking their lives each and every month.”
The program needs some assistance from the public on Sunday.
“We absolutely need as many volunteers as we can,” Madsen said. “Not only to be there to place the flags, but, again, to help with the awareness about this issue.”
Volunteers are asked to show up at least 15 minutes prior to the program. For more information about the event, contact the team via email at: fremontavenueofflags@yahoo.com.
