Photo By Sgt. Maxine Baen | Soldiers of the 35th Corps Signal Brigade attended a suicide awareness and prevention...... read more read more
Soldiers of the 35th Corps Signal Brigade attended a suicide awareness and prevention event on Jan. 19 at Fort Bragg, N.C.
The event, called The Value of Life, focused on suicide prevention methods and resources available to Soldiers. Each of the guest speakers served as behavioral health specialists in the military, and shared their personal challenges regarding suicide and how they overcame them.
“I thought it was important for our Soldiers to see that even the caregivers – those who are taking care of us – have things going on too and that they're human, '' said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Michael Mccawley, the 35th CSB’s command chaplain. “They have attempted, but after finding the right tools and value within themselves – they made it to the other side of that suicide attempt and now are more equipped to help other people.”
Be Yoo, a retired Army Major and Behavioral Health Specialist, spoke specifically to his struggle of feeling unfulfilled in aspects of life, even while excelling at work, and how important it is to have a healthy work-life balance.
“I got a lot of recognition, awards, respect, and full-block evaluations while in the Army. Despite this, I had a bit of imposter syndrome,” Yoo said. “I was constantly in perpetual self-doubt and felt like a failure despite my education, experience, and accomplishments.”
Yoo explained how he set impossibly high standards for himself, which led to a fear of failure.
“ Eventually, I hit my absolute limit and fell apart. I’m now trying to fix everything I've neglected for the last ten years.”
Yoo also spoke on why he felt it was vital for him to open up about the struggles that he’s had with his mental health saying, “I ask myself all the time; ‘what is my purpose?’ I know that there are so many Soldiers out there that have thought about suicide or have been impacted by someone in their life dying from suicide. If sharing my experiences could save even one life, I'd say it was worth putting myself out there.”
At the end of his remarks, Yoo posed questions and gave Soldiers something to think about.
“ Suicide in the Army, or the military in general, happens too often. I believe, as Soldiers, we are often afraid to seek help because we think that it may affect our careers, credibility, and respect. On the outside, we may look put together or even successful. However, there are some signs that you may be suffering.” said Yoo.
“Do you find yourself irritable, angry, anxious, and feeling shame and guilt from your past more often than not? After work, do you find yourself mentally and physically tapped out to repeat the cycle all over again? How fulfilling are your relationships with your coworkers, friends, significant other, etc.?” Yoo said. “When was the last time you participated in a hobby or self-care activity? Do you try to numb yourself with distractions or unhealthy habits like drinking on a routine basis? If the answers are concerning, then seeking help is more than appropriate. What good are awards, PRs, recognition, and evaluations when you’re falling apart? What do you want the ‘finish line’ to look like, and who will be there?”
The goal of the Holistic, Health and Fitness (H2F) Program is to change the Army’s culture of fitness – including the mental readiness of our Soldiers.
“I hope through this training our Soldiers can see that it's okay to be transparent and perhaps even a little bit vulnerable with one another in sharing some of life's issues and problems that go on and that they can seek help and find positive tools to strengthen their mental health,” said Mccawley.
Value of Life is a hands-on approach to instilling confidence in Soldiers so they feel comfortable seeking help.
“Trust is the largest factor in getting soldiers to reach out. You have to have a strong relationship with your Soldiers – especially as a chaplain,” said Mccawley. “Sometimes we’re seen as the religious guy or gal, and that's not always true. While we may have faith, we also have a duty to help our Soldiers and make sure they're okay.”
This event was the first of many more to come for the unit, intended to serve as a check-in for the unit's Soldiers and build morale and trust among one another.
“Each event may not look exactly like this one; some of them may entail physical activities and challenges that require a group effort, but ultimately, I'm glad we're able to take this first step in flourishing our soldiers' mental health,” said Mccawley.
If you or someone you know is suffering with thoughts of suicide, help is available through your local Embedded Behavioral Health Clinic, Military and Family Life Counselors, unit Chaplain, Military One Source, and the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline via call or text at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2023 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 438164 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, H2F – The Value of Life: “If Sharing My Experience Can Save One Life”, by SGT Maxine Baen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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