At our upcoming conference on June 16-17 in Hampton, entitled Health on the Homefront, the Virginia Public Health Association will be deeply honored to welcome 
Retired Major General Mark Graham and Mrs. Carol Graham (pictured at right) as our keynote speakers. Their presentation, Our Sons Died Fighting Different Battles: One Family’s Story, will address the stigma surrounding mental health, raise awareness of the warning signs and risk factors for suicide, and discuss real life coping strategies. In a speech at Fort Knox in 2009, Major General Graham stated, “From our personal tragedies, my wife Carol and our daughter Melanie and I have come to realize that in order to survive, we had to use our brokenness to reach out and openly share our story and try to give hope to others…As an Army and as a nation, we must get in front of suicide, work to prevent it by action, not just figure it out after the fact…We have pledged to use Kevin’s death to raise awareness in the military to the dangers of untreated depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and other mental health issues.” (Rose, M. (2009, Winter). Major General Mark Graham: A legacy of hope. T.A.P.S. Magazine, 15(4).)
In 2003 the Grahams’ son Kevin, a senior ROTC cadet at the University of Kentucky, died by suicide in the apartment he shared with his two siblings. Seven months after Kevin’s death, his brother - the Grahams’ eldest son - 2nd Lt. Jeffrey Graham, was killed in Iraq by an improvised explosive devise (IED). Jeffrey died with Kevin’s driver’s license in his pocket. Since that time, Major General Graham and his wife, Carol, have been tireless champions of military and civilian efforts to promote mental health and suicide-prevention awareness, and to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health care. Their personal tragedy and dedication to honoring their sons (both pictured at left) have been widely documented in the media.
Major General Mark Graham has had a distinguished thirty-five year career with the military, retiring from the US Army in 2012. His final position was as the Director, U.S. Army Forces Command, where he oversaw the plans, operations and training for Army forces stationed in the Continental United States and ensured conventional forces were prepared for worldwide deployment and combat. Major General Graham’s numerous military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Mrs. Carol Graham is nationally recognized for her efforts in suicide prevention and mental health. She has received numerous awards and other recognition including the President of the United States ‘Call to Service’ Award, Governor’s Commendation (State of Oklahoma) for Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness; the Texas Governor’s “Yellow Rose of Texas” award; US Army Forces Command’s Commander’s Award; US Forces Command Well Being Award; Secretary of the Army Public Service Award; the 2009 Suicide Prevention Advocacy Recognition in Kentucky (SPARK) Award; and the Shining Lights of Hope Award of the Carson J. Spencer Foundation.
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