For many soldiers, the war doesn’t end when they come home.

“War does not end because governments get together and sign truces. As many of you know, war continues many years afterward,” Palmerton Mayor Don Herrmann said Saturday at the 2nd Annual “Keep Them Alive Ride & Rally” in the Palmerton Borough Park.

The ride was to raise awareness and funds to help combat Veterans Suicide, and was hosted by the West End Memorial American Legion Post 927, Gilbert, and the VALOR Clinic.

“Thankfully, Herrmann continued, “groups like VALOR, our American Legion, and the Carbon County Veterans Affairs are here to help.”

Beth Lutz, a member of the Gilbert American Legion and VALOR Clinic, helped coordinate this year’s event.

“Last year, this was more of a VALOR ride and the Legion helped out. This year, the Legion took over the event, as we have more people to help.”

Last year’s event was held in Harrisburg. This year it was decided to hold the event in Carbon County.

“Carbon County has 8% of Pennsylvania’s population for veterans,” Lutz shared. “Unfortunately, it also has the highest veteran suicide rate in the state.”

Veterans make up 7% of the US population; however, veterans comprise nearly 25% of all suicides in the nation. Male vets take their lives at 1-1/2 times the national average; female vets, 2-1/2 times that.

U.S. Army Wounded Warrior and former Lt. governor candidate Teddy Daniels, who hosts a program, “In the Trenches with Teddy Daniels” on the Patriot Podcast on Roku and Stew Peters TV Network, was the guest speaker.

Daniels attended West Virginia University on a full scholarship and was a starter for the Mountaineers football team. Later, he held a successful career in law enforcement. At the age of 35, he joined the United States Army. He was deployed to Afghanistan; and, in 2012, was wounded during a firefight with the Taliban.

“The war doesn’t end on the battlefield,” Daniels said. “My war didn’t start until I got home. When I got back, I never believed in PTSD. I thought it was for the weak-minded. I had seen and done just about everything as a cop, and I thought I was just fine. It wasn’t until just a couple of months after I got home that the issues really started to hit. And I found out real quick that PTSD was real. And I was still in denial that I had it. It was actually a group of Vietnam veterans who I rode with who got me into the VA.”

Nearly 100 motorcycles lined up on 3rd Street, Palmerton, next to the park and then rode to the Gilbert Legion to conclude the program.