The Witness Tree Ceremony is a powerful public awareness and memorial ritual designed to honor service members lost to suicide, confront the hidden wounds of war, and remind the community of its ongoing duty to support transitioning veterans.

Established by Warriors Journey Home—an organization rooted in Northeast Ohio—the ceremony builds upon outreach traditions that refuse to let the tragic statistics of veteran suicide remain hidden. In this context, veteran suicide is viewed explicitly as a casualty of war: Killed After Action (KAA).
 

The ceremony centers on three core commitments:

• Break the Silence: Bring light to a quiet epidemic and humanize the individual lives behind the daily loss statistics.
• Share the Burden: Shift the weight of invisible wounds—such as PTSD, moral injury, and combat trauma—from the isolated individual onto the shoulders of the broader community.
• Pledge Responsibility: Emphasize that a community's obligation to its service members does not end when they take off the uniform; it requires actively helping them navigate the journey home.

How the Ceremony Works

• The Symbol of the Tree: A prominent tree in a public space, such as a courthouse courtyard, municipal park, or outside a local VFW post, is chosen to serve as the "Witness Tree." Just as historic trees silently endure through the ages, this living sentinel bears witness to the ongoing, quiet casualties of modern conflict.
• The Placement of Dog Tags: From November 1st through Veterans Day, participants gather daily to place 22 military dog tags onto the lower branches of the tree, symbolizing the tragic average number of veterans lost to suicide each day.
• Readings and Reflections: Each daily gathering incorporates brief readings, shared reflections, or prayers. Veterans and community members speak names aloud, share personal tributes, and offer meditations focused on healing and remembrance.
• A Visual Accumulation: As the days progress, the branches grow heavy with hundreds of dog tags. Moving gently in the wind like chimes, they create a stark, hauntingly visual reminder of the true, ongoing toll of war.

Ultimately, the Witness Tree Ceremony bridges grief with action—honoring those who were lost while fiercely advocating for the safety, health, and support of the veterans still fighting battles here at home.

If you are unable to make the ceremony and would like to add someone to the list please click the "Learn More" button and email us their name and what branch they served in and we will add their name to a dog tag and place it on the tree for you.