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NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS BASE CORONADO (NNS) – (Sept. 20, 2020) September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and Naval Special Warfare (NSW) is using the observance to foster discussion about the importance of seeking mental health care and highlight suicide prevention resources available to members of the force and their families.
Jeanne Lagorio, a licensed clinical social worker and the NSW Force Suicide Prevention Coordinator works with Chad Rodamer the Force Suicide Prevention Manager to take a holistic approach to preventing suicide within NSW.
“I’ve approached this effort from a family system perspective to include the command, spouses and children,” said Lagorio. “Suicide affects everyone in the family and the command to varying degrees.”
Spouses have easy access to a variety of resources on a website available to them through their ombudsmen, according to Lagorio.
“Another one of the things we’ve done is open up and invite spouses and all departments within NSW to receive intensive suicide prevention training through ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training),” said Lagorio.
The two-day, intensive workshop includes role-playing scenarios that teach participants how to ask difficult questions, to recognize when someone is thinking about suicide, and to help them get the support they need.
Spouses often see the first signs of concern at home, according to Lagorio, and this is an early intervention point. Spouses are also - briefed on who they can call if they have concerns and told any discussion held with a chaplain can remain 100 percent confidential. NSW Chaplains also facilitate ASIST training, which is another opportunity to build rapport and trust within the force.
“Vulnerability to suicide is not just with those who deploy but reaches up to the highest leadership positions and widens to all positions,” said Lagorio. “We are creating a large safety net by working together to be the eyes and the ears of those closest to us and taking care of each other.”
NSW Force Master Chief Bill King noted that self-awareness and being in tune with the people around you is part of the warrior mind-set.
“We train to be self-reliant, independent operators in fierce environments, which can make it difficult to notice the signs that something may be wrong,” said King. “It’s important that we develop not just as warriors, but also as people who notice and care for one another when our teammates may be down. It can be the difference between life and death.”
The expressive arts are also being used to encourage dialogue within NSW, according to Lagorio. NSW spouses have the spotlight this year, creating and sharing artwork that expresses what’s often difficult to put into words, and encouraging help-seeking behavior. Last year, several NSW operators also participated in the program to create artwork that expressed how suicide impacted their lives.
“Suicide is a topic some people tend to back away from,” said Lagorio. “The artwork featured on the portal creates curiosity and an emotional response. The artist’s statement adds depth and meaning to what is being viewed. A fact about suicide and an inspirational quote packs a lot of messaging into a 60-second glance. This approach is another way to chip away at the stigma.”
It’s commonly perceived that seeking help for emotional distress, addiction or family problems can negatively impact a service member’s career. The truth, according to Lagorio, is that less than one percent of security clearances are revoked due to someone seeking mental health services.
Lagorio works with leadership to dispel this persistent myth.
Leaders at NSW must continue to promote help-seeking services as a strength and a form of mental fitness, she said. Striving for excellence in all areas of your life and training around compassionate leadership is something that always needs to be fine-tuned.
“I’ve experienced suicide as a friend, teammate, and leader throughout my career,” said a retired SEAL Captain who spoke about his experience as part of opening the dialogue about suicide prevention and mental health care across the force. “All of us go through tough things in life, but because we tend to compartmentalize it can be hard to share our struggles, or know what’s really going on inside with our teammates. It’s ok to seek help; we have great resources in our community. It’s important that we look out for one another. I’ve gotten to the point where asking, ‘Are you ok?’ is just the start of the conversation. If we do see any of the warning signs with someone we know, we shouldn’t be reluctant to be direct and ask the awkward, but important question, "Are you thinking of harming yourself?"
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, you can connect with the Veterans Crisis Line to receive immediate support by dialing 1-800-273-8255 and then pressing 1.
NSW is committed to its Sailors and the deliberate development of their tactical excellence, ethics, and leadership as the nation’s premiere maritime special operations force supporting the National Defense Strategy. NSW is the maritime component of USSOCOM, and its mission is to provide maritime special operations forces to conduct full-spectrum operations, unilaterally or with partners, to support national objectives.
| Date Taken: | 09.10.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 09.29.2020 07:43 |
| Story ID: | 379131 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
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