BATON ROUGE - Every day, 22 veterans die by suicide. To combat the tragedy, one organization is encouraging veterans to get up and get outside. 

Military-Veterans Advocacy is a group based out of Slidell. On Saturday, the group made its way to the capital city to remind veterans to take a break. 

"It's really wonderful. Our advocacy group is really something that is important to all veterans," spokesperson Joanne Patterson said.

This is the first year John Wells and Joanna Patterson, both Navy veterans, hosted Veterans Get Outside Day. Their mission was simple. It was all about taking a deep breath and spending time outdoors. 

"What we're trying to do today is reach veterans, especially those with post-traumatic stress and brain injury," Wells said.

Whether its walking along the levee, touring the ship with family, or exercising in the sun, Wells says it's just important for people to do something they love. 

They say events like this are a step in the right direction to promote mental health among those who defend the United States. 

"For me its something that is near and dear to my heart," Patterson said. 

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