Suicide is a leading cause of death in the Army. Here are a few ideas and solutions that no one is talking about.
1- I had a Marine call me one night with a shotgun to his head. He knew that I would do anything for him, even if it meant giving my very life for his. This is why he called me. Soldiers need to know that leaders care. When they reach their breaking point, they need to know that they can call YOU.
2- All parents need to know their soldiers unit phone number. If there is something going on that is affecting the soldier, his/her supervisor needs to know. If we don’t know, then we will be conducting business as usual. The more information that we have, the more proactive we can be in assisting them.
3- My driver in Iraq had been in the Army for 7 months when was assigned to me. That means 8 months before he was driving the streets of Iraq, he was back on the block. We NEED to transition soldiers faster from the civilian world, to “The Lifestyle”. We need to do a better job of mentally preparing soldiers for combat. The Drill Sgt’s are doing what they can, but they can only operate within the parameters they are given. All training needs to be combat focused.
4- The numbers don’t calculate all of the leaders at all levels who save lives. If there are hundreds of thousands of people in the military, there has to be tens of thousands of leaders helping soldiers. I know I have outstanding leadership in every level of command, who I KNOW will help me if I need it. That type of relationship is what is needed all over the military.
Now these are just some ideas, but we are the solution. Together we can help each other battle the stresses of life.
If you need help, please dial 1-800-273-TALK (8355)
Call to speak with someone who cares
Call if you feel you might be in danger of hurting yourself
Call to find referrals to mental health services in your area
Call to speak to a crisis worker about someone you’re concerned about
More resources on this issue:
Army sees significant rise in January suicides – Army News … – Army sees significant rise in January suicides. By Michelle Tan – Staff writer. Posted : Monday Feb 9, 2009 6:22:35 EST. Seven soldiers committed suicide in January and the cause of death in 17 other cases is still pending, …
MichaelMoore.com : Army sees sharp rise in suicide rate – Army sees sharp rise in suicide rate. It’s the highest in 30 years. Military officials say in a report that prevention efforts are inadequate. By Julian E. Barnes and Jia-Rui Chong / Los Angeles Times …
Services wrestle with rise in suicide rates – Marine Corps News … – The Army’s increase in suicide rates for four consecutive years is an indicator of the stress being placed on the force by two high-tempo wars, Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston told the House Appropriations subcommittee on …
Jan 30, VCS in LA Times: Army Sees Sharp Rise in Suicide Rate – January 30, 2009 – Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington — The suicide rate among Army soldiers reached its highest level in three decades in 2008, military officials said Thursday in a report that pointed to the inadequacy of …
De’Keither
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