Stop Suicide USA: Our Mission
We provide rapid-response intervention to veterans, first responders and community members who are at risk of suicide. We also provide one-day training events for law enforcement and other government agencies, churches, schools and universities and various community groups. We call these training events, the Intervene Challenge. More than 27,000 individuals have taken the Challenge to gain the skills and confidence to engage family, friends and other individuals in times of crisis.
About our founder:
Kenneth “Lou” Koon
“I dream of a day when a child will ask, “Dad, what was suicide?””
Chaplain Ken Koon, or “Lou” as he is known by some, has served as a hospital, fire, law enforcement and military chaplain. He is currently Crisis Intervention Chaplain for the Peachtree City, GA Police Department and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, and a trainer for First Responder CIT Training in service to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.
In 2012, he founded Armed Forces Mission (now doing business as Stop Suicide USA) to provide rapid-response intervention to veterans, first responders and community members at risk of suicide. Ken has conducted more than 2,000 successful suicide interventions in both military and civilian communities. He has served on the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health Strategic Committee, helping to draft the 2020-2025 State Suicide Prevention Plan. He is currently a consultant to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health for the Safe and Secure Project.
Ken is the author of a several books, including Listen Learn Lead, which is the primary curriculum for the Stop Suicide USA Intervene Challenge. More than 27,000 people have participated in this one-day training event, gaining the critical skills that save lives. These include more than 500 first-responder agencies, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Georgia Sheriffs Association, the US Army 101st Airborne and the USAF 169th Fighter Wing.
In 2018, Ken was inducted into the University of North Georgia Alumni Hall of Fame. Most recently, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the Flowery Branch Police Department for his efforts in a 10-hour standoff involving police and an at-risk veteran.
Ken retired from the US Army Reserves as a chaplain at the rank of Lt. Colonel, serving as the Subject Matter Expert in Suicide Prevention. He previously served as Family Life Chaplain for the 80th Training Command, and his final assignment was at Fort Gordon with the 359th Signal Brigade.
He holds a Master of Divinity in Education and a Doctorate in Pastoral Counseling. He has completed Clinical Education at Georgia Baptist and Piedmont Hospitals. He is a member of the Georgia Chiefs of Police Association, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association
Ken and his wife Sherry have four grown sons, two of whom are active duty with the US Air Force. Another is a veteran of the US Coast Guard and the youngest is a firefighter/EMT with the Atlanta Fire Department. They have six grandchildren and make their home in Sharpsburg GA.
Our Leadership
Board of Directors
Chairman Carl Hall (LTC USA Ret.)
Vice Chair Bob Babich (US Army Veteran)
Secretary Dr. Heather Burrell (US Army Veteran)
Treasurer Adrien Neely (USAF Veteran)
Active Duty Liaison MSGT MaCrae Koon (USAF)
Fundraising Ed Sherwood (LTC USA Ret.)
Staff Resilience Officer Ricky Burrell (LTC USA Ret.)
South Carolina Liaison Tom von Kaenel (LTC USA Ret.)
Faith Group Liaison Steve Holloway (MSgt USAF Ret.)
First Responder Liaison Al Hogan (Detective Atlanta Police Dep.)
B2B Liaison Ed Vanderslice
Advisory Council
BG (R) Peter Madsen—Chairman Emeritus
Chief Janet Moon—Peachtree City Police
Chief Scott Gray—Fayetteville Police
Debbie Parker—North Georgia Region Liaison
Jodi Isley—Courageous Challenge and Liaison I-20 East corridor
Kevin Briggs (CHIPS Ret.)—Suicide Intervention Advocate
Lee Longe - Henry County Liaison
Michael Powell—Family Connection Liaison
MSgt (R) Anita Holloway— Faith Community Liaison
Pat Strode -CIT Liaison
Sheriff Barry Babb—Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
Who we’ve helped.
Army Medical Command, Sergeant Majors Conference
Atlanta VA Peer Support Specialist
80th Training Command US Army Reserves
Bolivar, MO Police Department
Carroll County Sheriff's Office
150 counties of School Resource Officers
Carrollton Police Department
Fayette County Sheriff's Office
International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association
Lithonia Police Department
Military Intelligence Command USAR
101st Airborne Ft Campbell, KY
100s of Faith Groups
Peachtree City Police Department
Piedmont Fayette Hospital
Pike County Sheriff's Office
Turner County Sheriff’s Office
Upson County Sheriff's Office
Winder Police Department
Homeland Security
Your generous support makes our mission possible.
What began in 2012 as a mission to intervene for veterans and first responders has grown to serve individuals at risk from all walks of life while training thousands each year to do the same. 1 in 10 people have thoughts of suicide each year. 88% of the participants that take the Intervene Challenge state they are now more likely to ask the suicide question. 8% were already actively involved in the field of intervention.