September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. An estimated 22 Veterans commit suicide every day and its one of the leading causes of death in the military. The emotional and physical experience thousands of men and women in uniform bring home from war is extensive and often hidden. In an effort to cope, many of those wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Veterans, such as Sgt. First Class Manuel Renteria, have found healing through adaptive reconditioning activities such as adaptive sports and the creative arts; often a catalyst for healing and therapy.
9/11 Tribute The Mask symbolizes the Warrior Ethos, The serpent intertwined with sword symbolizes the Army Medicine Corps, The 22 Brass Stars symbolize the 22 Veteran Suicides per day, The Twin Tower silhouettes are a tribute to 9/11.
During his service in the Army, Sgt. First Class Manuel Renteria became known for his metal work, creating everything from commemorative plaques, to artistic representations of skulls and masks. The Army Veteran, currently assigned to Alpha Company, Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB), Fort Bliss, Texas, feels a special connection to metalsmithing, viewing his artwork as an integral part of himself as well as his healing process. He also enjoys working with metal because its resilience, viewing it as analogous to himself and his fellow Soldiers recovering at the Fort Bliss WTB. “Being damaged isn’t the end of things, it’s the beginning,” says Renteria. “We may have to pause and rethink how to get things done, and it may take us a bit longer, but in the end we stand for something bigger and greater as Soldiers.” Renteria describes the creative process as a tribute to the resiliency he and other Soldiers face in times of adversity. To recognize the warning signs surrounding suicide and how you can help.
