Suicide Prevention Month: Considerations for military members

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES

09.25.2014

Story by Lt.Cmdr. Jim Remington 

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

WASHINGTON - The Navy's theme of 2014 Suicide Prevention Month is "Every Sailor, Every Day, focusing on ongoing actions to build trust and meaningful connections with peers."

The theme, though specific in its wording to the Navy, is equally applicable to any member of the Armed Forces. Military service presents unique experiences and stressors, but also provides unique resources that come to play in the discussion of suicide and suicide prevention.

"One part of that is to know your people," said Navy Cmdr. Wesley Sloat, senior installation chaplain at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota. "Socrates said, 'Know thyself.' There is also the element of 'know your personnel.' If you see behaviors in an individual that seem to betray the pattern you would normally expect, that could be a red flag. That could be something to look into. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Be a little invasive. It's okay, because it could save a life."

The reality is that many people, not just those in the military, have a lot of discomfort discussing suicide or dealing with it head-on. They are even more uncomfortable with the thought of asking another person directly, even when there are warning signs present, if that individual is having thoughts about suicide. But Sloat argues that the fear of asking the question, and the consequences of asking the question, are a bigger deal in our minds than in reality.

"If someone notices that Joe has been a little despondent lately, I'm going to ask about his life. If he says 'No I'm not considering suicide,' no harm is done. But it's amazing how many times someone is sending out all but searchlights to get some help, but they're a little cryptic and people don't know how to hone in on them."

In training sessions, Sloat teaches people how to get beyond their mental hurdles with regard to asking the question. He will have a participant ask a fellow student to sign over his or her paycheck for the next six months. The request he said is typically answered with a sentiment such as "Forget you!"

"Now is Fred mad at you?," Sloat will ask. "No, it doesn't apply to him, and he dismisses it. If someone is not suicidal they're going to dismiss it as an absurd question, and they're probably not going to be offended. At the very least, they might think you have read a little too much into things. But if they are suicidal or feeling that way, you could have potentially saved a life and the compounding effects of a suicide."

Recognizing the signs is a critical first step to suicide prevention. Sloat said that despondency, withdrawal, especially for someone who may be very outgoing, or giving away possessions in an unusually peculiar manner, are signs that something is out of the ordinary and may be red flags.

"A lot of times, it may just be a sense you have, but follow that sense. That would be my advice. Follow that sense, because there are many people today wishing they could go back and revisit one of those feelings and ask about it. But unfortunately the person completed a suicide before that could be done," said Sloat.

Air Force Maj. David Reynolds, clinical health psychologist and commander of the mental health flight within the 579th Medical Group at JBAB and a native of Hilton, New York, emphasized the importance of what the Air Force calls "the buddy care system."

He said in many cases, it is someone who is known to the person who is struggling with issues who has the power to make a difference.

"Typically when we see someone contemplating suicide, they're not seeing all of the other options that you and I might see. They're not doing the normal problem solving. So what we tell people from a buddy care system is to lend them your problem solving ability. 'Have you thought about this? Have you taken it to your commander? Have you talked with so-and-so? Have you talked to Judge Advocate General?' Most of the times they haven't. They're just so focused on that death ideation. They don't see the other side of it," said Reynolds.

When it comes to sensitive issues, however, and concerns about security clearances or continued job success, service members are often reluctant to seek the help they need for fear that it will impact their career.

Senior Airman Leslie Martin, a mental health technician at the 579th Medical Group and native of Dubuque, Iowa, said, "The biggest concern we hear around here especially with so many high profile jobs is a concern about a security clearance. 'Will I lose my top secret?' If they work for the White House Communications Agency, 'Will I lose my presidential support status?,' and I think that's the biggest stigmas here in Air Force District Washington."

Technical Sgt. Bertha Biag, a flight sergeant in the 579th Medical Group and a native of Palm Beach, Florida, agreed and added, "In addition to that, their confidentiality is also an issue for them. They are afraid of who is going to know. Until they discuss any type of violation of the UCMJ or they are suicidal or homicidal, we don't break confidence."

One of the answers to these concerns, and the need to speak with someone about stressors in one's life is the availability of military chaplains because of the unique confidentiality they have with service members.

"Some of these matters are very sensitive," acknowledged Sloat. "Certainly with a chaplain you have absolute confidentiality. That's something that not even Judge Advocate General officers or even medical professionals can offer, because there are legal obligations they must meet. Whereas, with a chaplain, you can come in there without it effecting the career path, without it having to be told to the chain of command, and being able to hash out some of these difficulties. Many times personnel will do that. That way we can catch a stressor before it gets too serious and we can get some healthy stress management training, something that can get that person some techniques to deal with that stress before they are overwhelmed. Catching things early is always a good thing, and I would therefore recommend talking to a chaplain. You can also talk to these other personnel, but recognize that it may not be 100 percent confidential if you do."

• Date Taken: 09.25.2014
• Date Posted: 09.25.2014 15:44
• Story ID: 143314
• Location: WASHINGTON, DC, US
• Hometown: DUBUQUE, IA, US
• Hometown: HILTON, NY, US
• Hometown: MINNEAPOLIS, MN, US
• Hometown: PALM BEACH, FL, US