The vision is to end veteran suicide, but is not something a few people can do, it must be a national effort in order to make a difference," said Rod Wittmier, founder of the nonprofit National Alliance to End Veteran Suicide (NA2EVS). "Like Einstein's theory of relativity, we have a formula. Our formula to end suicides is ER2C, which highlights our four focus areas of education, resources, research and community."

Buckley native Wittmier, who previously ran another veteran service organization, VetsMeetVets, founded NA2EVS in 2012. His devotion to the cause began five years ago when he learned that Army suicides (including those of veterans) had accounted for 20 percent of the total suicides nationally. A veteran himself, Wittmier began a crusade to promote awareness, prevention and to save lives.

According to Wittmier, only 21 states in the United States have a checkbox that identifies whether or not someone who took their own life was a veteran. The logical implication is that the current Department of Veteran Affairs estimate, which cites that 22 veterans commit suicide per day, might be regrettably low.

"We are working to encourage other states to collect this information," he explained. "The more accurate information we have, the better equipped we are to fight."

NA2EVS recently brought on a new board president, who is located in Madison, Wis., and Wittmier believes this is a first step in promoting the alliance's agenda throughout the country. There is also a strong presence on social media, from LinkedIn to Facebook, which can connect potential NA2EVS volunteers and supporters, regardless of where they reside.

"We are enlisting veterans to help, but you don't have to be a veteran to make a difference," he said. "If you've been looking for an opportunity to help we have a way."

For instance, NA2EVS works with Blankets of Hope and is seeking volunteers to contribute to that, as well as to organize coat and clothing drives to benefit homeless veterans nationwide. Next year, the NA2EVS is planning to unveil a community scavenger hunt, called the Expedition, to raise awareness and funds.

"This is not a membership situation where you just come, join, and that's it," he said. "We have created the structure for people to hang their hats and work towards the collective goal of ending this suicide epidemic."

Sept. 29, NA2EVS will be part of an inaugural fundraising event when singer Cee Cee James performs in a benefit jazz concert at Kennydale Memorial Hall, 2424 NE 27th St. in Renton. The doors will open at 2 p.m. and the show will begin at 3 p.m. There is no admission fee, but the suggested donation at the door is $15 per person; all of the proceeds will go to the alliance.

"We're not even running this concert, this was someone else (James) who took on the mission and wanted to help this cause," Wittmier said. "There are people who are behind this cause and more people who want to be ... we want to get them involved."

NA2EVS is also partnering with the International Academy of Design and Technology-Seattle to develop a multimedia campaign, to include a Public Service Announcement, in order to educate the public about veteran suicide and how they can help.

For more information on how to get involved with NA2EVS, email Wittmier directly at Rod.Wittmier@na2evs.org or call the office at 608.616.9979, between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. central time. Additional information on volunteer opportunities can also be found via www.na2evs.org/careers.