During the 2022 DAV and Auxiliary National Convention, Ginger MacCutcheon discovered a life-changing suicide prevention program that had a profound impact on her. A veteran of the Women’s Army Corps and the commander of DAV Chapter 116 in Parma, Ohio, MacCutcheon had faced two suicide attempts in her life—first in 1980, two years after her discharge, and again in the 1990s.

Unbeknownst to others, MacCutcheon had endured multiple violent sexual assaults while in service. She chose to keep these traumatic experiences to herself for decades, navigating through abusive relationships and bouts of suicidal thoughts. Throughout this time, she remained unaware that she could access mental health treatment and other care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

A turning point came during a volunteer event when post-traumatic stress symptoms surfaced for MacCutcheon, catching the attention of a fellow veteran. This individual took the initiative to sign her up for VA health care, marking the first time she received help. The VA provided essential support, connecting her with counseling services. MacCutcheon reflects that earlier intervention in her life could have averted some of the challenges she faced.

In 2022, MacCutcheon encountered Save A Warrior, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the alarming rates of suicides among veterans, service members, and first responders. Supported by a grant from the DAV Charitable Service Trust, Save A Warrior established a National Center of Excellence for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress in Hillsboro, Ohio, in June 2022. MacCutcheon attended later that fall, describing the experience as a holistic approach to addressing her 65 years of life. She emerged transformed.

At the subsequent DAV national convention, MacCutcheon took a remarkable step she had never considered before. In a dim, crowded ballroom, she joined a friend and fellow Save a Warrior participant on the dance floor, moving to the music of Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band.