Eric Hoover

Lock Haven

My fellow patriots, I would like to share my growing concerns with you this Veterans Day. Allow me to explain.

The NATO phonetic alphabet is a set of 26 code words used to spell out letters to avoid confusion in radio communications. The code words are sometimes used to spell out acronyms, and the military loves their acronyms. But there is one that holds profound meaning to me. A phrase that most who served will recognize. “Charlie Mike,” which simply means, continue mission.

At times you would hear this phrase crackle across a radio transmission or whispered in the darkness of the night at a long security halt. It meant something had gone terribly wrong. In those times, a quick assessment of the situation was taken. Sometimes leadership roles and responsibilities had to be shifted. Resources and vital equipment had to be redistributed. The effort behind these labors was always the same — accomplish the mission.

After the tasks were completed to remedy the problem as best it could be, the quest was asked, “Can we continue?” Whether you were cold, tired, suffering from heat exhaustion, low on resources or accrued casualties, the answer from brave leaders was almost always the same — Charlie Mike.

When you heard it softly muttered, down the line you realized no matter what your personal suffering, you needed to muster your intestinal fortitude, because your team needed you and you were going to finish this thing together. You pushed past perceived limitations of your body and mind for the men next to you. For you must complete the mission.

I bring this to your attention this Veterans Day holiday for a reason. We have a continual, growing problem in this great nation with veteran suicide, showing averages of 22 veterans taking their lives daily.

We can all speculate on the myriad perceived reasons why that might be. With 26 years of active duty service, and the struggles I’ve faced myself, one of my assumptions to this problem is purpose. The feeling that you no longer bring value.

I can tell you, statistically, without a doubt, you do bring value. Less than one percent of today’s national population heeds the call of service, which mathematically makes your experience invaluable to your community. You have been instilled with values such as honor, respect, courage and selfless service, to name a few.

Today, more than ever, your society needs you among them to help point the way. You are a beacon of accomplishment to those around you.

The phrase Charlie Mike also has a special meaning for me this Veterans Day. The phrase coincidentally happens to be the initials of a local brother-in-arms — Cody Myers — who lost his battle with depression. He succumbed to the hidden scars inside that many veterans battle with today.

My new mission is a vow to bring awareness to this crisis as best I can. So, for the citizens of our society, I implore you, when you meet the veterans in your community this Veterans Day, and you greet them with your standard, “Thank you for your service,” for all they have done, I would ask you to also tell them “Charlie Mike,” for all they have yet to do. To remind them the mission isn’t over, and your community needs them and always will.