How to end veteran suicide | Ron Self | TEDxSanQuentin

NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal views and understanding of mental health and associated treatments. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: America would never send a soldier to fight without basic training. Yet we have sent thousands of vets home unprepared to handle the devastating mental damages of war. Speaking while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, former combat veteran Ron G. Self shares his personal struggle and outlines a plan to help our veterans. Find out more about Ron’s program Boot Camp Out and the amazing work of Veterans Healing Veterans from the Inside Out, (). Learn more about San Quentin’s exemplary Prison University Project , which was just awarded the National Humanities Medal. Ron G. Self, a former combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served from 1987 to 1996, is currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. While in prison, Self’s personal struggles prompted him to found the self-help group Veterans Healing Veterans From The Inside Out to try to stop the alarmingly high suicide rate among veterans. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at