[VIDEO] Vet in a Vette is Raising Awareness About Veteran Suicides

Aug 8, 2024

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[VIDEO] Vet in a Vette is Raising Awareness About Veteran Suicides

After bravely serving their country in the armed forces, some soldiers return with mental anguish that pulls them down.

Down so low that sometimes suicide ultimately turns out to be the only answer for hundreds of these veterans each year.

To combat that issue, a retired Army colonel is driving his Arctic White C6 Corvette coupe across the country hoping to raise awareness about the suicide rate for veterans – an average of about 20 a day.

Colorfully festooned with the emblems of the many other supporters of the cause, the 2007 Corvette will ultimately arrive at Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia for the Top Dog Motor Sports Competition, a race slated for October 12 between the branches of the military. (The Army team claimed the honor in 2021 and 2022 and the Marine Corps captured the trophy in 2023.)

“The goal behind this is suicide prevention,” Hess said Tuesday in Central Oregon as he began driving west on the Medal of Honor Highway that runs 3,365 miles through 15 states all the way to Massachusetts. “All we can hope is someone will see the message and, at some point in time, they will speak with a veteran who is on the verge and they will take the step and they will save that life.”

Hess says that visiting American Legion posts along the way reminds him how special America’s veterans are.

“For me it’s really an honor to do this. It’s a gift to spend three weeks on the road,” he said.

In Bend, Oregon this week, Hess was able to talk with Dick Tobiason, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who pushed for the formation of the cross-country highway that honors veterans who went above and beyond the call of duty.

Tobiason says he has known several veterans who have attempted suicide. “They’ve always found that if they can be with other veterans who are like minded and who care for each other it’s no longer self focused,” he said “It’s focused on the group. It works.”

You can keep up with Hess’s progress on the trip here.