Published: Sep. 18, 2024 at 10:35 PM EDT HAMILTON, Ohio (WXIX) - A yearly tradition in Butler County works to help prevent veteran suicide. Silent Watch begins at 6 a.m. with guards watching over a flag-draped casket. It continues for 17 hours, marking the average number of veterans who die each day from suicide. Mike Farmer, the Executive Director for the Butler County Veterans Service Commission, said veteran suicide is a crisis across the country, including Butler County. “We lost nine veterans last year in 2023 to suicide,” Farmer said. “We’ve lost five this year already to suicide. So the need is huge. I feel like veterans need to know that we as a community are behind them.” Silent Watch was an idea to bring awareness to the problem. Hundreds of volunteers stand guard over the casket for 20 minutes, switching for 17 hours until the watch ends with a 21-gun salute. “It honestly leaves you at a loss for words,” Farmer said. “To know the support that’s behind you as a community. I certainly don’t understand every veteran’s struggle, or individually what they’re going through, or what their crisis is, I’m here to come to the table with them. I have a great team that’s going to find solutions for them and a solution that they can get through the crisis.” Farmer said any veteran who is dealing with a mental health crisis should call 911, or dial 988 and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.