JEFFERSON BARRACKS, Mo. - In response to a rising number of Soldier suicides last year within the Army; the Missouri National Guard is reemphasizing its suicide prevention program.
Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner, Missouri Adjutant General, said no topic is more important.
“Every Guard and Family member is equally important and an extremely valuable asset to our organization,” Danner said. “As such, we must take the necessary steps to care for the greatest resource this nation has to offer: our people.”
Danner’s remarks come in the wake of the highest number of suicides within the active duty Army in 28 years. According to the Department of Defense, there were 12 potential suicides among active duty Soldiers in January and 14 in February. And there have been two potential suicides among Missouri National Guardsmen in the last six weeks.
With large numbers of National Guard troops being deployed for duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Danner’s message to the troops is simple. Help is available.
To that end, Soldiers of the Missouri National Guard are participating in suicide prevention and awareness classes. Sgt. 1st Class Robert Meyers recently presented the course to Soldiers of the 1038th Medium Truck Company at Jefferson Barracks.
“The message I want these Soldiers to get is that we must help each other,” Meyers said. “Soldier suicide hits pretty close to home and we’ve got be able to look for identifying factors and get these Soldiers some help.”
Meyers said identifying behavior that might lead to suicide is crucial to prevention efforts.
“If someone is giving away their belongings – something that they worked hard for, that’s a big sign to look for,” he said. “Also Soldiers who are withdrawn and don’t want to be a part of the group. We need to key-in on those people.”
While many may jump to the conclusion that suicide among military personnel is directly related to the stresses of combat, Michelle Hartmann, director of psychological health for the Missouri National Guard, said that is frequently not the case.
“There are many cases where combat-related stress or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has not been in the picture at all,” Hartmann said. “Guardsmen have civilian lives and civilian jobs. They have difficulties in civilian life like anyone else. Maybe they’re losing their job or maybe they’ve got family issues, and then on top of that they’re a Soldier. So maybe you’re trying to work on your marriage or some issue with your children and then you’re facing a deployment and that just adds to the stress.”
Further complicating the issue, said Hartmann, is the “warrior ethos” of the military and the fear of being stigmatized by seeking counseling.
“The military can be slow to change on some issues and some Soldiers may fear that if they come forward with some sort of emotional issue that something bad will happen to their career,” she said. “They may think there is some kind of drawback to coming forward, but with the psychological health program Soldiers can come and talk with me and it’s strictly confidential. It will not be reported to their chain of command and it will not be entered into their military medical record.”
Hartmann also points out that asking for help takes guts and that personal fortitude is considered a valuable asset among all military personnel.
“It takes real strength to take a look at yourself and realize that in addition to being physically well you need to be emotionally well to be the best Soldier you can be,” she said. “When someone can step forward and say that, it’s huge.”
Moral assessment can also be a valuable tool in suicide prevention, according to Lt. Col. Kevin L. “Chappy” McGhee, an Army chaplain assigned to the National Guard Bureau from Missouri.
“When a Soldier comes to me it’s usually a last ditch effort so I prefer not to let it get to that point,” McGhee said. “We need chaplains who are assertive enough to do moral assessments because that’s what these Soldiers want; someone to talk to. And they might be more willing to speak to a chaplain than a mental health professional. A moral assessment can give you a better picture of the stress a Soldier is dealing with in their lives. As chaplains, we have to find a way to provide that care.”
In addition to chaplains and Guard counselors, other available resources for Soldiers and Airmen seeking help include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255), the Department of Veterans Affairs (www.mentalhealth.va.gov), Military OneSource (www.militaryonesource.com), and Help for the Homefront (www.comtrea.org/homefront.pdf).
“There are a lot of resources out there to help our Soldiers and their families,” Hartmann said. “They can seek that help within the National Guard or from an outside source if that makes them feel more comfortable.”
For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.