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Veteran hangs 22 dog tags on tree in Ohio every day for mental health awareness

Posted at 12:35 PM, Nov 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-04 12:37:10-05

AKRON, Ohio — Every day, an estimated 22 American veterans die by suicide, and officials in Ohio are hoping to bring awareness to the issue with the "Witness Tree."

According to the Akron Beacon Journal, 22 dog tags were placed on a tree outside of the Summit County Courthouse in Akron, with each tag representing a veteran lost to suicide.

U.S. Army veteran John Schluep, the Warriors' Journey Home, will hang the dog tags each day.

To raise awareness for veterans' mental health, Schluep will hang the 22 dog tags on the tree every day through Veterans Day on Nov. 11. The ceremony will take place each day at 8 a.m. ET.

Warriors' Journey Home is a nonprofit that provides information and support for veterans, their families, and the community as they transition to life back home after deployment.

There are four other Witness Tree locations in Northeast Ohio. For the schedule of the ceremonies and more information, click here.

This story was originally published by Camryn Justice on WEWS in Cleveland.