Everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide among Veterans, Service members, and all Americans.

Barbara Van Dahlen, PhD — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 09:33:09 -0400

The REACH campaign, a key component of The President's Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS), is the largest public health campaign dedicated to suicide prevention in the Nation’s history. The campaign, which was launched on July 7, recognizes that to prevent suicide, we must reach beyond what we have done before– including the way we think about, talk about, and address emotional pain and suffering.

Anyone can be at risk for suicide. On average, 132 Americans die by suicide each day, accounting for 47,173 suicide deaths in 2017. For Veterans, the overall suicide rate is 1.5 times higher and the female Veteran suicide rate is 2.2 times higher than the general population after adjusting for age and/or sex. Suicide is also the 10th leading cause of death among all ages and the 2nd leading cause of death among those ages 10-34 in the United States.

There is good news: we can all learn to recognize and understand our risk and protective factors. The campaign website: https://rly.pt/WithinREACH provides information on these factors and other information that can help us reach to those we know are struggling or to reach out when we are struggling.

As VA Secretary Robert Wilkie stated, “REACH will remind everyone that they can make a difference by learning how to connect with those at risk and point them in the right direction.”

Join us in this national effort and REACH to those you love. Start by taking the PREVENTS Pledge to REACH. By taking the pledge, you can commit to help increase awareness of mental health challenges and suicide prevention practices to reduce suicide for Veterans and all Americans. Please visit https://rly.pt/TakeThePledge to take the PREVENTS Pledge to REACH. After you have signed the Pledge, you can download, print, and proudly display your copy. Share that you have signed by using the hashtag #REACHNow and encourage your network to take the Pledge as well. You can even download a PREVENTS badge to your e-mail signature signifying that you have signed.

On Tuesday, August 18, we held a live RallyPoint Q&A on how together, we can prevent suicide for Service members, Veterans, and all Americans. You can review that conversation here:: https://rly.pt/PREVENTSQA

WithinREACH

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Aug 11 at 2020 9:42 AM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 09:42:34 -0400

I am a GAH provider and I speak at events for that...I also do resiliency work for Red Cross (workshops for caregivers, vets and active duty). Always looking for new ways to reach out and connect

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Aug 11 at 2020 10:49 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 10:49:46 -0400

Great share Ms Barbara.

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Aug 11 at 2020 1:21 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 13:21:44 -0400

Barbara Van Dahlen, PhD: Ma'am, I am the Facebook coach; of my: 'Group for Police Officers: Suicidal/Depressed/PTSD'.
All who feel the need, are Most Welcome to join my group.
-Most Lovingly, Margaret C. Higgins U.S. Army Retired: coach

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Aug 12 at 2020 6:24 PM

Capt Brandon Charters — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 18:24:36 -0400

Incredibly important mission. I took the pledge and will be there on the 18th!

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made Aug 12 at 2020 10:05 PM

PVT Mark Zehner — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 22:05:02 -0400

Thank you!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2020 8:29 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 08:29:29 -0400

BLUF can some one understand that word why it not remove from military vocabulary

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 13 at 2020 12:34 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 12:34:18 -0400

I have a couple thoughts:
- Those who have an acute case of PTSD are often confused about many aspects of their life to include who to ask for help. I was told by a medical E-7 to go to the emergency room which I did. That got the ball rolling. WHAT IS THE FOCUS? ENSURE SMs UNDERSTAND WHO THEY SHOULD GO TO IN ORDER TO GET HELP.

- The paradigm is, "Do you want to hurt yourself, do you have a means to hurt yourself." I firmly believe we need to go beyond that to find the switch to help SMs stop thinking about reasons to die with reasons to live. WHAT IS THE FOCUS? GIVE SMs REASONS TO LIVE.

Response by Wayne Soares made Aug 13 at 2020 2:20 PM

Wayne Soares — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 14:20:13 -0400

Great share Dr. Dahlen

Response by SSG Derrick Iozzio made Aug 13 at 2020 9:59 PM

SSG Derrick Iozzio — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 21:59:52 -0400

Catch 22 Peer Support and the SAVE VETS collaboration are a grassroots movement working to combat the suicide crisis. We are the boots on the ground conducting active outreach and providing support.

Response by PO2 James King made Aug 14 at 2020 11:31 AM

PO2 James King — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 11:31:25 -0400

Talk your Brothers and Sisters in need. If talk and listen you may just save a life.

Response by PO3 Phyllis Maynard made Aug 15 at 2020 1:13 PM

PO3 Phyllis Maynard — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 13:13:46 -0400

Barbara Van Dahlen, PhD those who have never seen the likes of what some of us have seen, just cannot connect the dots. We are thankful for those who understand.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2020 11:19 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 23:19:02 -0400

Anyone else's OCD kicking in with this picture?

Response by SrA Kevin Smith made Aug 18 at 2020 9:41 AM

SrA Kevin Smith — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 09:41:45 -0400

My name is Kevin Smith and I am an Air Force veteran that has had my veteran's disability claim denied on the grounds that my deployment to Saudi during Operation Desert Storm/Shield could not be verified from my personnel records. Meaning there are no copies of travel orders or pay records to confirm my deployment. Fact is Air Force Chief of Staff Francis L. Hutter ordered proof of deployment removed from my records 1/23/1993. The document he ordered removed was authored by my commander in Saudi and its contents supported the abrupt end of my deployment early due to anxieties/PTSD. The document removed was an AF form 77 and it was an evaluation letter used to fill gaps in reporting. The original AF form 77 was ordered removed and replaced with one that is unsigned and undated. The comment section where there would have been dialog supporting why my tour was ending early and why I was being returned stateside has a stamp that reads "not rated, report order removed by CMSGT Francis L. Hutter 23/ January 1993."

I reference the deliberate actions of the Air Force/Veteran Affairs to manipulate my personnel and medical records to facilitate discharge without providing me healthcare and benefits as lynching by keystroke. Exposure and resolution are forthcoming if given the opportunity to share my story. Furthermore, I am of the opinion that tactics and ploys such as the ones employed against me are responsible for the choices twenty-two veterans a day make to end their fight for healthcare and benefits earned from their military service. On behalf of all veterans, I pray a life be saved if a cry for help is heard.

Words of little meaning like the VA motto, "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" are empty expressions, smoke, and mirrors. The question is often asked about why a veteran would choose to end their fight by suicide. Because of being forced to live inside of a storm fabricated by the Departement of Veterans Affairs I invite anyone reading this that is sincere about being apart of suicide prevention to contact me. [login to see] .edu

To VA program directors and staff, please don't stand outside of the battlefield observing, get on the field of battle with us. We are weary of fighting alone.

Response by CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana made Oct 22 at 2020 1:01 PM

CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 13:01:43 -0400

This sales pitch is alike to the slums; no space to flex. Try not to overcrowd the spread with cheese, please.

I, like Lt Col Charlie Brown and other Veterans, are providers of coping and being resilient. Like SPC Margaret Higgins, I double up with first responders and NGOs to deliver our messages.

I have also worked with other independent contractors to audit businesses and deliver speeches on Suicide and Suicidal Tendencies; signs to beware of.

Response by PO2 Cyrus Barberia made Oct 23 at 2020 2:24 PM

PO2 Cyrus Barberia — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 14:24:43 -0400

Suicide among veterans is a serious thing something we should all try to help other vets with

Response by PO2 Cyrus Barberia made Oct 25 at 2020 2:00 PM

PO2 Cyrus Barberia — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 14:00:42 -0400

I'm not involved in any groups but I think anybody who knows anybody that feels they're going to commit suicide to try to help as best they can