BACKGROUND

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death. Suicide

is often carried out as a result of despair. Men and women in the

military are subjected to harsh conditions, including extensive

training missions and war, that affect them on levels that many

cannot understand. When they come home they, we think they

leave these conflicts behind. This is far from the truth, a new battle

to reintegrate into a normal life begins. In a 2012 study about

veteran suicide conducted by the Department of Veteran Affairs, it

was found that 22 U.S. Military Veterans commit suicide every day.

Mission 22 is a collaboration between Elder Heart, a veteran non-

profit organization, and a global advertising agency. Elder Heart is

comprised of Delta Force and Special Forces operators Tom

Spooner, Magnus Johnson, and Mike Kissel. Because of their

personal battles with PTSD and TBI they have made it their mis-

sion to raise awareness, enlist support, and end veteran suicide in

America.

In response to the 2012 Suicide Data Report conducted by the

Department of Veteran’s affairs, Mission 22 was created to raise

awareness about Veteran Suicide. Mission 22’s target audience is

primarily military Veterans. However, suicide is an issue that affects

many other people including family members and the community.

Mission 22 provides resources for veterans, family members, and

community members to aid in helping Veterans win the war at home.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Jeannie Dimico

Case Study for COMSTRAT 565 Washington State University

Whether you’re a vet,

a family-member,

or a part of the com-

munity, you’re part of

the mission.

“Fighting the War at Home”

The Mission 22 project launched (October 22, 2014) with a powerful

online video (http://bit.ly/1CU12hM) recounting how for many veter-

ans, the end of combat does not bring an end to the pain, fear or

stress that comes with war. The video concludes with the call to action

for the public to “claim a 22” on social media.

1. “Claim a 22” on buses, street signs, jerseys, racecars, and any-

where the number 22 is found.

2. Post a selfie with the number 22, or any image with a 22, as an

acknowledgement that it is time to stop veteran suicide on Facebook,

Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #Mission22.

3. Tag Mission 22 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mi22ion or Twitter @Mission22

22 signifies the number of Veterans who commit suicide everyday. Mission 22’s aim is to spotlight

this alarming statistic, and start a movement where everyone can help prevent veteran suicide in

America.

FORMATIVE RESEARCH

CAMPAIGN MESSAGE

Mission 22 has not released any formative research about their campaign at this time. However, what

started as a holiday awareness campaign in 2014 is quickly becoming a worldwide mission with al-

most 25,000 Facebook followers, 2,200 Twitter followers, and over 6,500 Instagram followers. This

support has inspired Mission 22 to continue awareness. They are currently working with community

leaders in Washington, DC and New York city to build a mobile monument for those who have fallen in

the war against Veteran suicide.

The first plate

created in honor

of Rob Guzzo, a

Navy Seal who

took his own life

on November

11th, 2012.

Graphic rendering of proposed monument.

PROJECT EVALUATION

Since Mission 22 was launched in October 2014, a mere 16 months ago,

there is little to confirm the success of the campaign. However, the cam-

paign has been featured on BBC News, National Geographic, Time Maga-

zine, Fast Company, Public Radio International, Military Times, and many

other news outlets. It has also gained celebrity endorsements from Sofia

Vergaro of "Modern Family", Pittsburgh Pirate’s #22 Andrew McCutchen

and the entire Miami HEAT team. This amount of coverage speaks to the

relevancy of the campaign. There have been some criticisms about the sta-

tistics provided by the 2012 Veterans Affairs data report, especially regard-

ing the amount of veteran suicides claimed to occur everyday. The Wash-

ington Post questions the context of the data. Although I agree with some

of the criticisms, veteran suicide is a real problem in America. Mission 22

highlights this issue in a way that America understands, and that is

through social media. The campaign has received short term success and

continues to show momentum.

THEORETICAL APPLICATION

Mission 22 partnered with an existing Veteran non-profit

organization, Elder Heart, and combat photographer, David

Guttenfelder to create an emotionally appealing campaign.

They started by launching an emotional video featuring their

very own veteran, Tom Spooner. In the video he describes

normal activities that create anxiety for veterans coping with

PTSD. A visit to their website, www.mission22.com, provides heart-breaking photographs (by David

Guttenfelder) of the homes where some veterans committed suicide. The photos are raw and real.

These stories of the war at home allows the audience to understand the battle these veterans face

upon coming home from war. Furthermore, by creating a social media campaign with the tag

#Mission22 they developed a relationship with their audience. This approach promotes a positive,

albeit an emotional message, of support for this issue.

The American Military’s Deadliest Battleground Isn’t Some Remote Stretch of

Desert Across the Globe. It’s Here at Home.

— By David Guttenfelder, Combat Photographer —

References

Department of Veterans Affairs (2012). Suicide Data Report. Retrieved from: http://www.va.gov/opa/docs/suicide-data-report-2012-final.pdf Keefe, A. (2015, April 22). A Conflict Photographer Helps Fight Veteran Suicide. National Geographic. Retrieved from: http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/22/a-conflict-photographer-helps-fight- a-war-at-home/ Kelly, L. (2014, December 5). Elder Heart Veterans launch Mission 22 Holiday Campaign to Prevent Veteran Suicide. PRWeb. Retrieved from: http://www.prweb.com/releases/mission22/veterans/prweb12368451.htm Lee, M. (2015, February 4). The missing context behind the widely cited statistic that there are 22 veteran suicides a day. The Washington Post. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-c hecker/wp/2015/02/04/the-missing-context-behind-a-widely-cited-statistic-that-there-are-22-veteran- suicides-a-day/ Mission 22. (2016). http://www.mission22.com/