The 988 suicide crisis hotline marked a one year anniversary recently. Reporting shows it received 5 million contacts in its first year, further evidence of America’s complicated mental health challenge that the U.S. Surgeon General recently identified as a crisis.

A driving force is often disconnection from friends and family, and that isolation is commonly felt by military veterans, which have a storied history and major presence in the Mountain State. Data shows that two-thirds of veterans who die by suicide have had no contact with support services such as the Department of Veterans Affairs. And the VA reports that the rate of suicide among veterans is almost double the rest of the U.S. That trend holds true in West Virginia, too.

Leaders like U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia are taking notice and calling on their constituents and Americans alike to take simple yet meaningful action. Like a call to attend the Pitt game this fall and support the Mountaineers, they should take note of the call to action and step up to help their sisters and brothers who defended this country.

The campaign is called Warrior Call, and it will culminate on Nov. 12 as National Warrior Call Day. It strategically follows Veterans Day.

Marking of the date was passed by the U.S. Senate in 2022 and is expected to do so again in 2023, this time with even more support across the legislative body. Leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives have also supported the initiative in a bipartisan manner.

So too have scores of veteran advocates, Medal of Honor recipients and former leaders of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Warrior Call asks Americans to make a call to a veteran or servicemember and connect them with support if they need it, because isolation often is a precursor to suicidal ideation. In addition to post-traumatic stress, invisible wounds linked to an underlying and undiagnosed traumatic brain injury can mirror many mental health conditions and spark isolation and suicidal ideation. In addition, the moral injury a service member might sustain — witnessing death and damage up close and participating in it — can do the same.

Troublingly, the suicide rate for vets in West Virginia and elsewhere may actually be much higher. Many other deaths may not be reported or classified as suicide because the evidence doesn’t support a death determination. This is a statistical “gray zone,” especially as society wrestles with alcohol and opioid addiction.

A national study found significant disparities between state and VA data and a large error rate in how the VA accounts for deaths of vets. The group found that the suicide rate represented in the eight states was much greater, at 1.37 times the rate reported by the VA. And when researchers added in veterans whose deaths were from self-injury, including overdose deaths and other behavior closely aligned with self-harm or suicide, the rate of suicide was 2.4 times higher than the rate the VA reports.

Warrior Call implores those partaking to point suffering individuals to resources, such as those hosted by Vets 4 Warriors or the 988 hotline. It is not hyperbole to say that one call can save a life. Veteran advocates across the nation have experienced this reality.

By enlisting West Virginians to make a call to a veteran and assess their wellbeing, Warrior Call — be it today, tomorrow or Nov. 12 on National Warrior Call Day — should be part of a statewide commitment.

It can make a difference, it can save lives.

Frank Larkin is COO of Troops First Foundation and Chair of Warrior Call.