The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Honors Yochi Dreazen, Author, for Exceptional Service

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American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Jun 24, 2015, 08:03 ET

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Each year in the United States, suicide claims over 41,000 lives – more than war, murder, and natural disasters combined. On average, 22 veterans die every day by suicide. On Tuesday, June 23, 2015, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the largest suicide prevention organization in the United States, presented the Allies in Action Humanitarian of the Year Award to author Yochi Dreazen for his exemplary work in contributing to the national discussion on preventing suicide. More than 240 AFSP volunteer field advocates from all 50 states were in attendance as part of the organization's Advocacy Forum.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Honors Yochi Dreazen, Author, for Exceptional Service

"For six years we have been honoring members of Congress and partners who have helped us push suicide prevention to the forefront of our legislative process. With contributions like Yochi Dreazen's, we are much closer to achieving our goal of reducing the suicide rate 20 percent by the year 2025," said John Madigan, AFSP vice president of public policy. "This award recognizes the invaluable contributions made by Mr. Dreazen in opening up a national dialogue on the need for more access to mental care services for service members, veterans, and their families."

Dreazen made great contributions to suicide prevention through his authorship of The Invisible Front: Love and Loss in an Era of Endless War which chronicles the life story of Major General (U.S. Army Ret.) Mark Graham and Carol Graham who lost their two sons Jeff and Kevin to war and suicide. When Major General Mark Graham and his wife Carol lost their two sons--one to suicide and one in combat--they were astonished by the drastically different responses their sons' deaths received from the U.S. Army. The Invisible Front is the unforgettable and sensitively reported story of the Grahams' decision to channel their grief into fighting the armed forces' suicide epidemic and making PTSD and mental illness more visible in the military.

Against the backdrop of the military's ongoing suicide spike, The Invisible Front is a profoundly human story that details America's problematic treatment of the troops who return from war far different than when they'd left and uses the Graham family's work as a new way of understanding the human cost of war and its lingering effects off the battlefield. Yochi Dreazen resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife Annie and their newborn son, Jack Henry.

Facts about Military Suicide

One in five people who die by suicide are veterans.
The military suicide rate has doubled since 2001 and has remained unacceptably high.
Every military sector has experienced an increase – active duty, National Guard, and Reserve forces; the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force.

** Photos of the award being presented available upon request. **

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention leads the fight against suicide. We fund research, offer educational programs, advocate for public policy, and support those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, AFSP has 75 local chapters with programs and events nationwide. Review our Annual Report to learn more about AFSP's life-saving work. Join the national conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.