Prevention
Helping people notice concern, ask directly, stay connected, and connect someone to appropriate support before isolation becomes more dangerous.
A Program of The Veterans Phalanx
Standing Watch
Suicide prevention, postvention, awareness, and resource-bridge work.
Standing Watch is The Veterans Phalanx program and campaign for suicide prevention, postvention, awareness, and resource connection. It exists to help veterans, families, community partners, and supporters respond with steadiness, dignity, and care.
About our role.
The Veterans Phalanx is not a crisis line, clinical provider, emergency response service, or replacement for professional care. Standing Watch helps serve as a community presence and resource bridge.
What This Program Is
Awareness, connection, and responsible response.
Standing Watch helps strengthen awareness, connection, and responsible response around suicide prevention and postvention. The work includes practical education, partner guidance, safe communication, and helping people connect to trusted support.
Two Focus Areas
Prevention and postvention — both matter.
Postvention
Helping families, businesses, organizations, and community partners respond with dignity, privacy, safe communication, trusted resources, and long-term connection after a suicide loss or suspected loss.
What Standing Watch Can Help With
Where this program is useful.
- Sharing trusted crisis and grief resources
- Encouraging safe, respectful communication
- Supporting community partners unsure what to do
- Helping connect veterans, families, and supporters to trained resources
- Identifying training options
- Supporting low-pressure spaces for connection
- Checking on people who may be isolated
- Helping partners think through next steps
What Standing Watch Will Not Do
Clear about the limits.
- Provide clinical counseling
- Investigate a death
- Speak for a family without permission
- Share private details
- Use a death for attention
- Replace professional care
- Make promises The Veterans Phalanx cannot keep
If someone is in emotional crisis or may be suicidal.
Call or text 988. Veterans, service members, and those who support them can call 988 and Press 1, or text 838255 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
Come stand with us.
If you are a partner, family, organization, or community member who wants to think through next steps with care, reach out.
More Programs
Other ways The Veterans Phalanx shows up.
Hold The Line
The advocacy arm of The Veterans Phalanx — veteran dignity, access, accountability, and steady nonpartisan public voice.
The Muster
Relaxed veteran-centered gatherings built around conversation, community, and belonging.
Continuing Service
Practical service projects and community outreach where veterans, families, and supporters serve side by side.
Shoulder to Shoulder
Peer-to-peer connection around transition, VA navigation, and life-after-service conversations.
Homefront
Practical support, visits, and steady presence for older, disabled, isolated veterans and surviving spouses.