I trained on weapons of war for 20 years; I know what they were designed to do. And I know these military-grade weapons have no place on our streets among civilians. There are simple solutions we can all agree on, like increased background checks and a No-Fly, No-Buy list. We also need to work to increase awareness about mental illness and remove the stigma around it, so that people in a mental health crisis can seek help before they become a danger to themselves and others. This will help the silent victims of gun violence–those who die by suicide.