About Ride For Veterans

Hello, my name is James Greer. I am a combat veteran. I am not famous; I am not a celebrity I am just one man who got off the couch. I decided I wanted to make a difference and I scheduled The Arctic Adventure 22. I took that adventure on my KLR650 Dual Sport from Leonardville Kansas to the Arctic Circle and back. 8400 miles in under 22 days while sleeping on the ground in a tent.  Funds raised were donated to Mission 22, a not-for-profit veteran help organization. 

I read in The Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (OMHSP) National Suicide Data Report from 2016 that 22 veterans a day commit suicide. 

In 2014, approximately 65 percent of all Veterans who died by suicide were age 50 or older. I am a 52-year-old combat veteran, this hit me pretty hard.

After adjusting for differences in age and sex, risk for suicide was twice as likely among Veterans when compared to U.S. non-Veteran adults. I was stunned. I could not believe that my fellow brothers and sisters in arms were dying of suicide at this rate. 

The fact is, United States veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die of suicide than those that have not served. Female veterans are 2.2 times more likely. They have served their country and they have served us.

While you took the time to read this information and explore this website another veteran took his/her life. 

22 a day is approximately 1 every 65 min.