We spend a lot of time conducting training on SHARP, Suicide Prevention, Resilience, etc. Do you think we are spending too much time on them?

Having been an MRT for about 2 years now I can say that indo believe in the program, and it works when applied appropriately. I will state though, the material is very difficult to teach in an impactful way. Essentially it takes a very good instructor with adequate life experience, and an audience willing to be open minded to get something out of it.

My goal every class it reach at least one person in the audience. Have one person come up to me after and ask more about what we discussed.. It may be slow, but even one at a time will eventually get there.

I don't think it's the time we spend, but the quality. Almost everyone makes jokes and take the training lightly; we could spend less time if people took the training seriously and put the skills into use.

LTC (Join to see) I think it depends on what is taught, how it is taught, who teaches it, and what emphasis is put into it after it is taught. If you only give it lip service to meet the requirement you missed the mark. I found the more effective classes are when the leader (with either professional or personal authority) get up and share their views and have passion on the topic. If it is just the randomly assigned NCO or junior officer who gives the same slideshow each time it can be one minute or four hours you will not get much out of it.

We just had another suicide in my state recently. I'm not sure about diminishing returns or spending too much time on the subject but I'm beginning to become convinced that what we're doing isn't necessarily the most effective. I'm with you though. I see value in any attempt to preserve human life; especially one of our Warrior's life. Might be time to re tune the programs we have and start applying the most up to date data on the subject.

Absolutely...especially if you want to call what we do training. Looking at slide decks and signing attendance rosters is a total waste and based on blotters and number of suicides, the training is not helping. Just my two cents.

It is a serious problem. Lots of units still do not have appropriate SOPs and battle drills to respond when a SHARP problems happen.

There could be two ways to look at this -- repetition equals muscle memory........and, if the training results in preventing even a single suicide or sexual assault, wouldn't that be the best return on investment possible? The training / education is merely a vehicle to continuously provide a forum for dialogue / discourse.

Sir,

I think we spend too much time on certain training and not enough time on others. I realize the Army's priority is readiness, followed by SHARP, but I am tired of sitting through cookie cuter training month after month, to get online and do the same Computer Based Training (CBT) for SHARP. I think it takes away from the other training we shove down Soldier's throats such as Suicide Prevention and Resilience.
I am trying to make a difference in the unit I am currently in with MRT, and hopefully soon I will be qualified to train for SHARP as well. I have had the good, the bad, and the ugly for each one of those trainings. I think the most memorable are also the ones I took away the most from. I try to replicate that training when I teach those classes. Pretty much saying exactly what CPT Maurelli said in the same amount of words.
Basically, the I see a lot of units still aiming at the 150meter target ensuring they are covered during QTB. When the real issue is right under their nose.

Seems out of wack, but with 22 vets committing suicide a I think we should do whatever we can. BTW, have you all called a battle buddy this week?

I don't believe that the issue lies in the amount of time being spent rather the amount of time spent spreading the message in the same drawn out manner. We all have the basic concepts down, it's now time to instruct in such a manner to make them operational. It could be as simple as mixing SHARP in with MRT, EO in with Suicide Prevention, etc. All of these subjects touch each other in one or more ways, let's begin taking advantage of utilizing the quad-dimensional geographic effect. Shut down the computer system (DTMS) that has become the training publication mandator and allow leaders to use situational awareness within their formations to focus on problem areas.