Has your Unit conducted a suicide prevention/recognition briefing?

2015-06-30T08:15:05-04:00

About one in five servicemembers are impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury
20 percent of suicides in the U.S. are former servicemembers
One currently serving member died every 36 hours during the period 2005-2010
18 veterans die a day, or one suicide every 80 minutes

http://www.moaa.org/Main_Menu/Take_Action/Top_Issues/Serving_in_Uniform/DoD-VA_Mental_Health_and_Suicide_Prevention_Efforts.html

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Jun 30 at 2015 8:26 AM

2015-06-30T08:26:05-04:00

We always here about the "22 a day" figure. Sadly, the numbers are not totally accurate. There is no doubt that the numbers are higher within the Armed Forces but while some people work very hard to reduce the numbers, I personally feel that they would higher if we had a standard for reporting both within the military and outside of it.

Response by CSM David Heidke made Jun 30 at 2015 8:59 AM

2015-06-30T08:59:17-04:00

I would like to see rates compared between the civilian population and the military.

I have heard that the majority of the suicides are those who have not deployed, but I don't have the data to back that up.

It's like all the safety briefings we go through for things that are no more dangerous than mowing the lawn. "How many more must die, General!? When are you going to implement weed wacker training!? We need a lawn care stand down!!"

We need to do all we can for Soldiers, but I want to see with cold hard numbers how much of an epidemic it is compared to the general population.

Yes, we have suicide prevention briefings... ALL.THE.TIME.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jun 30 at 2015 9:03 AM

2015-06-30T09:03:20-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member In my last Brigade from 2009 to 2012 we conducted extensive training isn this area all the way down to the company level within the four battalions. It was very important. When we received any type of call at any level that someone was showing the signs or even mentioned the word we had members of the immediate command reach out to them immediately until we had them under the care of the VA or other professionals. I hope that all of the service branches are still doing the same thing with prevention, awareness, and recognition.

Response by SSG Izzy Abbass made Jun 30 at 2015 9:10 AM

2015-06-30T09:10:35-04:00

I voted no but then there is the age gap here - I'm a Desert Storm Vet and have been out for awhile. Interestingly enough, my company creates suicide prevention tool sets for the military - primarily for the Air Force called Wingman Toolkit. http://www.wingmantoolkit.org/ In Colorado we have been discussing this issue quite a bit within the Vet community and have undertaken a few efforts including Colorado Serves which is organized to identify and connect behavioral health resources across the state for Service Members, Veterans and their Families (SMVF).

Wingman Toolkit

Promote a safe, respectful, and productive work environment free from sexual innuendo, harassment, and assault is the responsibility of every Airman. The Air Force’s mission depends on Airmen having complete trust and confidence in one another.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jun 30 at 2015 9:35 AM

2015-06-30T09:35:26-04:00

We do more training on suicide prevention than ever. The frustrating an vexing thing, is we could not seem to make an impact. I am a few years removed, but I believe our impact his still be minimal. But, apparently the trend is declining.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/pentagon/2015/01/16/defense-department-suicides-2013-report/21865977/

Response by SSG John Erny made Jun 30 at 2015 9:44 AM

2015-06-30T09:44:32-04:00

This is something that has affected me personally, I am not going to go into the details but I can tell you that the pain lingers. If someone is hell bent on killing them self it will be very challenging to change that mind frame. The only thing you can do is call 911 and get them committed to a mental health hospital. The technical term for this is someone in crisis. Unless you a trained mental health professional do not try to help the person, you could through your good intentions make the situation far worse, they may even turn on you. Call 911. I have.
The second condition is someone who is at risk; they need to see a professional also or perhaps even a member of the clergy but are not in the act of doing it. If you are a trusted friend or family member see that they get the help they need. You have to try, the burden of having done nothing is heavy.
The third condition is someone who needs to vent, blow off some steam or they just need a friend. Be that friend. This perhaps the most important thing a non professional can do. Prevent the condition from deteriorating to the point of no return.
I was the suicide prevention peer counselor for my unit. It is not a skill that you ever want to have to use if you attend the training for this position. Be damn sure that you can do the job before you accept the position.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 30 at 2015 10:13 AM

2015-06-30T10:13:55-04:00

Yes and has anyone provided metrics that the training sessions yield any fruit? How do we get better in the realm of suicide prevention? A hard nut to crack for sure.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Jun 30 at 2015 10:21 AM

2015-06-30T10:21:21-04:00

We did them annually when I first came in back in '87, then it became semi-annually, not sure where they are at now, prolly weekly...I often wonder how effective they are as it still seems not to be making a dent. I realize that there are major differences within our military now than there were when I first enlisted, I also wonder if society has played a role in the manner in which we have raised successive generations to be more sensitive and in touch with our feelings. Please do not get me wrong, I am not saying we are weak as a whole, but it does seem that we as a nation we aren't as "tough" mentally as we were in the past. Not bad but at the same time not good.

Response by SSG Ed Mikus made Jun 30 at 2015 10:25 AM

2015-06-30T10:25:03-04:00

The best suicide prevention classes i have attended are the ones where someone, not normally a person typically tagged to give the class, told a story about saving a friend or being saved themselves from ending it all. these really tend to hit hard, doing it right before lunch leaves people time for it all to set in and for emotions to process.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jun 30 at 2015 10:25 AM

2015-06-30T10:25:10-04:00

While I served, I believe my unit conducted the suicide prevention/awareness training about every quarter.

Unfortunately it was brought to the flight level, and not taken very seriously as many of the leadership assumed that everyone was in a healthy state of mind. It turned into a joke session.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 30 at 2015 11:13 AM

2015-06-30T11:13:07-04:00

It's an annual requirement at a minimum. Typically, we conduct Suicide Prevention training in the summer during Annual Training and in the Fall/Winter during annually required briefings. No matter whose statistics you believe (the VA study says 22 a day, a recent dispute to that study claims 1 a day), even one is too many.
COL Charles Williams I agree that from a leadership standpoint it seems never ending (we lost 2 in my second MP unit after deployment to suicide & I have witnessed at least two ideations in my current unit in the last year). I attribute the large numbers to the compounding effect of year after year of GWOT.
I take heart in the fact that I am experiencing more calls for help and less successful attempts. My hope is that the commitment to conduct Suicide Prevention training combined with a dedicated funding source to send Soldiers to become ASIST trained has given Soldiers in crisis the confidence that there will be someone to support them.