Mission Roll Call: A Chance For Veteran Voices To Be Heard
After his discharge in 2014, Marine Combat Veteran Cole Lyle was in a low place and contemplated taking his life. His turning point came when a fellow Marine’s kindness saved him – ever since, he has been on a mission to help other Veterans.
Marine Combat Veteran Cole Lyle hit his lowest point in 2014. After his discharge, he found himself unemployed, getting divorced, and disconnected from the fellow Marines with whom he had served. He was coping with panic attacks and PTSD – and, using alcohol for medication, he began drinking too much. He owned a gun and admits he considered taking his life. “I was one pull of the trigger away from shooting myself,” he reflects.
Fortunately, a fellow Marine showed up at his door with movies and food one night, and the visit left him feeling renewed and clear on what he wanted for the future. It was a “mind re-set,” Lyle says. “I went from thinking ‘I have nothing’ to ‘I have the opportunity to do something.’”
Lyle got himself a German Shepherd service dog named Kaya to help him deal with his anxiety. The dog is trained to wake him up if he is having a nightmare.
Today, Lyle is on a mission to help other Veterans who are feeling helpless. He is now the Executive Director of Mission Roll Call, an organization headquartered in Georgia. Mission Roll Call is dedicated to advocating for all Veterans – not just those who are currently receiving Veterans services. “We advocate to Congress, the White House and the VA for policies that will provide a better quality of life for our Veterans” says Lyle. “Only 50% of the 18 million plus Veterans out there are accessing services,” says Lyle. “We need better coordination between the VA and the various branches of the Military and the Department of Defense.”
Lyle goes directly to Veterans, talking with them at town hall meetings and providing an “unfiltered voice” in his advocacy efforts. Those who visit the Mission Roll Call website can sign up to be polled via text.
According to Lyle the three priorities of Mission Roll Call are:
Ending Veteran suicide
Access to healthcare and benefits
Advocating for the underserved Veteran population
“The VA reports that 17 Veterans a day take their lives – that would be 6,205 Veterans a year,” says Lyle. Lyle believes the actual number, though, could be as much as 40-50% higher.
To learn more about Mission Roll Call, please visit Veteran Advocacy | Mission Roll Call.
To learn more about other resources for Veterans:
LibertyOVE: To learn more about free services to active duty war Veterans, visit Liberty Organization for Veterans and First Responders /Resolving PTSD/Virginia (libertyove.com).
The Military Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource for all service members, including members of the National Guard and Reserve and Veterans, even if they are not enrolled in VA benefits or health care: Military Crisis Line (veteranscrisisline.net)
For information about TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) visit the Navy Seal Foundation website: TBI | Symptoms & Treatment | Military Veterans | Make the Connection or the Brain Injury Association of NH website: www.bianh.org.