♪ MUSIC ♪
BRITTANY: I get up in the morning, you know, walk my dog,
get in my car...eh... turn on my GPS, and my GPS states
"going to help my Veterans" with a smiley face.
Because it helps motivate me to know where I am going
and to clear my mind... that's...
that's how I start my day.
KIMBERLEY: You cannot find a more noble calling and mission
than we have at Veterans Crisis Line.
I know that our team, team VCL, saves lives every day.
ROBERT: The job of Crisis Line is to rekindle that spark
inside of somebody — rekindle that.
'Cause that fire is almost out. And when the fire is
just about out, that's when suicide can happen.
MONTAKIA: This is a calling. I 100% believe,
the people who are here, they're here for a reason.
And they have purpose on helping to contribute to save lives.
BRITTANY: Crisis looks different for everyone,
and we are going to do everything we can to
save that life or to help that Veteran.
CORLISHA: It's like you are talking to someone at the
worst hour on the worst day of their life.
I have a split second to, like, try and make a difference
and to be whatever they need me to be, you know.
I can make a difference in the next few days or
few years of their life...so, just to be present with them.
NATHANIEL: Me as a Veteran myself, when I got out,
I didn't think that there was any support for us.
Especially back when I got out, but nowadays
there is good support for you.
KIMBERLEY: There are Veterans out there who may need
our help and may not know to call us.
MONTAKIA: We have the training, we have everything,
all the tools in place. And we will do our best to
connect and get you the help you need.
ROBERT: I can let them know in some way, shape, or form—
read between the lines — "I know what you've been through, it's...
this is hell on earth for you. Let's get you
the help that you deserve."
UNIKA: Your crisis is whatever's important to you,
and we're here for you. So whatever you're going through,
we can support you.
CALL: Thank you for calling the Veterans and
military Crisis Line. This is Unika speaking.
How may I help you?
NATHANIEL: Many of us come with different experiences,
different backgrounds, and we're able to all
bring it together to help each other.
BRITTANY: You're not alone, because you can give us a call.
And you don't even have to give your name. And it's easier
to talk to a stranger than it is to talk to someone
that we know, at times, because... that we don't feel
like people are judging us. And you're not going to
get judged when you give us a call.
UNIKA: I always say to myself, well, if my dad was to call in,
how would I want somebody else to answer the phone for him,
you know... this is somebody's brother, cousin, friend,
son, you know... so that kind of always stays with me
in the back of my head. So, that's what fuels me.
ROBERT: The phones, the chat lines, the text lines
have not stopped, which tells me the word is out there
that this line exists, it's there to help,
and it does help.
KIMBERLEY: How could you have a better job than to be
making an impact for a population that deserves all...
everything we can give them?
♪ MUSIC ♪