[Radar Chief]

Last year at the Owl Creek Jamboree, a bluegrass festival in Humboldt Kansas, I met a hobo who goes by the name Coffee, yes like the beverage. Seriously, a true train hopping, living off the land and generosity of others hobo. He's also a 13 year Marine Infantry vet with two Afghanistan tours to under his belt. He never told me his rank but with that many years and two combat tours I'm assuming he's at least a sergeant, more likely a staff sergeant.
He said he was on patrol in a Humvee with three 19 year old's straight out of Boot when they came across a T intersection. He got on the com with LT and was directed to turn left. They made the turn and the next thing he knows he's waking up in a hospital in Berlin. IED, he was the only survivor. He was medically discharged shortly afterwards.
I saw him again at the Winfield Walnut Festival, still a nut bar and still self medicating his PTSD with booze and illicit drugs. Said he had hiked the Appalachian Trail, or as much of it as he could before hopping a train back to Winfield for the bluegrass fest.
I'm hoping to see him again at this years Owl Creek because the last time I saw him he wasn't doing too good emotionally, still struggling with his PTSD and survivors remorse.
Anyway, point is we loose far too many veterans every day to suicide especially when all it takes is someone willing to listen.