Behavioral researchers help Army combat suicides

By David Vergun

DoD Special Correspondent

The desire to "end intense emotional suffering" was among the top factors cited by Soldiers who had at some point attempted suicide, according to researchers from the University of Utah, who interviewed 132 active duty Soldiers Fort Carson, Colo.

While the preliminary findings are informative, they are not altogether unexpected and it is hard to draw conclusions from a relatively small sampling, said Bruce Shahbaz, the Army's special assistant to the director of Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention.

So what contributes to "intense emotional suffering?"

"The most reoccurring stressor we've found over the last several years is psychological pain related to a failed relationship," Shahbaz said. He explained that a failed relationship could include anything from marital problems or girlfriend/boyfriend issues, to the loss of a parent or an extremely close friend.

Other contributing factors encompass a range of behavioral health issues, he said, including depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder.

To help combat these stressors the Wisconsin National Guard has internal programs such as "Strong Bonds," as well as subject matter experts such as Military Family Life Consultants (MFLCs) and a director of psychological health. The Wisconsin National Guard works with local VA Medical Centers and Vet Centers to provide overall support to service members who may find themselves experiencing overwhelming life stressors.

Frequency and duration of deployments have been widely discussed factors in recent years, but Shahbaz said the issue isn't that simple. He said that while deployments have been trending down in the last few years, suicides have been edging up.

Earlier this month, the Army announced that 147 Soldiers died by suicide in the first six months of the year, an average of one every 30 hours. This includes 89 active duty Soldiers, 36 Army National Guard Soldiers not on active duty and 22 Army Reserve Soldiers not on active duty. This is 12 higher than the Army had at the same point last year.

Shahbaz said researchers theorize that, "if you're constantly deployed, training or preparing for redeployment, you are in a 'zone' and you don't try to reintegrate with family and loved ones. But with longer dwell times, problems surface. The family says he's not acting the same, or perhaps a spouse has taken on responsibilities that the Soldier had previously been doing and conflict arises.

"So we cannot say an increase in suicides are 'caused' by deployment, but we can infer that many are 'deployment-related.' It's a subtle but important distinction."

Shahbaz said he thinks that if behavioral interventions had not been in place for the last three years, the rate of suicides would have been significantly higher.

"Unfortunately, we can only measure the number of suicides, not quantify how interventions may have prevented them," Shahbaz said. "We hear, almost daily, about a concerned noncommissioned officer leader who notices a change in a Soldier's behavior and takes action to help that Soldier. Great leaders can make a huge difference each and every day."

"We're taking a comprehensive approach," Shahbaz said. For example, "local law enforcement can point us to certain risk behaviors that could be precursors to suicide, driving at a high rate of speed or DUI for instance, and chaplains have organized retreats for couples having relationship problems and reserve units have financial classes for soldiers whose homes may be underwater and at risk for foreclosure. Pulling from across the Army is a way for us to get in front of the problem."

Shahbaz said there aren't any simple solutions to the suicide problem.

"Our efforts to promote health, reduce risk, and prevent suicides are continuous and relevant across the entire force," said Walter Morales, chief, Army Suicide Prevention Program. "They include programs that target and focus on prevention, resilience, intervention skills, access to behavioral health and many others that contribute to the overall fitness and discipline of our force."

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Morales said, will allow for maximum exposure of the resources the Army makes available to Soldiers to prevent suicides and to reinforce a cultural change in Army ranks.

"This cultural change would call for all of us to remain personally committed to providing available resources to support the overall fitness of our peers, battle buddies, co-workers, friends, and family members," Morales said.

The suicide study at Fort Carson is just a start.

Shahbaz said the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command have 26 different ongoing studies involving soldiers and veterans of the active and Reserve Component and their families worldwide.

"Each study is unique, examining different treatments, combinations of therapies and medicines, screenings, interventions, prevention measures and recovery plans," he said.

The largest of the studies underway is STARRS, the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Service members. That study is conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health in partnership with the Army.

The five-year STARRS study, slated for completion next year, is touted as the largest military study of suicides ever. The study tracks soldiers from basic training through separation. Soldiers, all volunteers, participating in strict confidentiality, are categorized for resilience, biomarkers, background history and various risk factors with the goal of having a better understanding of the causes of suicides, Shahbaz said.

Col. George Glaze, director of the Health Promotion, Risk Reduction Task Force, said it is important to remove the stigma associated with those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

"A cultural change needs to take place," Glaze said. "It's natural for Soldiers to not want to admit they need help."

Glaze said all Soldiers - including officers, noncommissioned officers and below - need to get involved and look out for their fellow Soldiers.

"The sergeant major of the Army, or SMA, is leading the charge," Glaze said. "The SMA himself at one time needed assistance, asked for and got it and worked through the challenges."

Shahbaz emphasized that the most important message to get across to Soldiers, veterans and their families is that help is readily available and that confidentiality is guaranteed when calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-8255.

Shahbaz also said that the phone number is for anyone, but that professionals trained in helping service members and their families are on standby to assist. There is also a Military Crisis Line for those deployed or stationed overseas 1-800-273-8255.

Another important source of help, he said, is http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.

Panetta Commends Jacoby for Northcom Fire Assistance

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – In an afternoon call to the commander of U.S. Northern Command, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta commended Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. for leading the Defense Department’s effort to support the fight against Colorado’s raging wildfires.

The secretary also commended National Guard and Northcom support to the National Interagency Fire Center based in Boise, Idaho, which coordinates firefighting efforts.

Jacoby updated Panetta on the effort to quell wildfires affecting Colorado Springs and the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the secretary instructed the Northcom commander to provide assets to the extent they are needed by federal or state authorities.

The Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs has burned more than 18,500 acres of land, forcing the evacuation of at least 32,000 people and threatening more than 20,000 structures in the area, including many homes of military families.

Four C-130 aircraft equipped with U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems have so far flown 47 sorties dropping more than 100,000 gallons of fire retardant.

Acting under immediate response authorities, the Army has provided bulldozers, other heavy equipment and hundreds of soldiers to cut fire breaks. Twenty two fire trucks from five military bases, including the academy, have joined the effort. Military personnel are providing housing, meals and medical care at temporary shelters on Peterson Air Force Base and Fort Carson.

Panetta praised the Colorado Springs community for its resilience during the crisis, and Jacoby noted that the academy remained open to in-process the class of 2016.

The secretary concluded the call by asking Jacoby to keep him informed as firefighting efforts continue.

‘Game Day’ Events Highlight Similarities between Service Members, NFL Players

By Robyn Mincher, DCoE Strategic Communications

While the careers of NFL football players and service members might seem different, the Real Warriors Campaign highlights that in fact, they may be similar. Throughout January, former NFL players visited military installations across the country, speaking with service members and their families about common reintegration challenges, as well as the resources available to address them. During the events players, service members and families shared heart-to-heart conversations, ate football fare together and cheered on their favorite teams.

These “Game Day” events were developed in 2010 through a partnership with the campaign and the NFL Players Association to encourage service members to reach out when times are tough. Many of the former players told their own stories of having difficulty transitioning out of the NFL, such as former Houston Oilers wide receiver Chris Sanders during his visit to Fort Carson, Colo.

“I went through those struggles,” Sanders told FOX21 News. “I went through the depression. I went through the doubt … and I didn’t want any help. But, until I had to go out and to seek help, that’s when things started to change. That’s why I truly believe in the Real Warriors Campaign.”

Players shared Real Warriors resources, such as tip sheets, videos of military members reaching out for help, and the campaign’s new podcasts. The Real Warriors, Real Advice weekly podcast series feature warriors, veterans and military families highlighting the importance of maintaining psychological resilience and seeking help when there are concerns.

“It's OK to have problems. But we shouldn't [only] focus on the problem, we need to look for the solution,” said former New England Patriots running back Tony Collins at the Fort Bragg, N.C., event. “I want to encourage each of you, when you need help, reach out. It’s not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength.”

The message seemed to resonate with service members.

”You just got to keep your head up, like they said,” Alexander Walter, an injured soldier attending the Fort Carson event, told FOX21 News. “Ask for help. Don't be afraid.”

Along with Fort Bragg and Fort Carson, events were held at Fort Drum, N.Y., Camp Pendleton, Calif., and more recently, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.

“There are many similarities between the two professions: emphasis on physical fitness, the work preparing for a game or battle, the energy of being a member of the team or unit to accomplish a mission, and the transition into a new environment,” said Dr. Monique Moore, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) psychologist. “Hearing these players say ‘I struggle with things too, and it’s OK to reach out and get support’ is a really powerful message.”

The Real Warriors Campaign is a DCoE initiative to promote building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning service members, veterans and their families. The campaign encourages help-seeking behavior among the military community.

DOD Announces Stationing of Two Combat Aviation Brigades

The Department of Defense announced today the stationing of two Army combat aviation brigades.  The 16th Combat Aviation Brigade will be split-based and established at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and Fort Wainwright, Alaska, using existing aviation units not currently assigned to a combat aviation brigade.  A new brigade will be activated at Fort Carson, Colo.

The 16th CAB stationing action realigns existing assets resulting in an increase of approximately 1,400 new soldiers and 44 helicopters at JBLM.  This action for the split-based CAB at JBLM will begin in fiscal 2012 and is expected to be completed by fiscal 2014.

The Army recognizes Alaska as a strategic location and will continue to maintain a significant aviation presence there.  This stationing increases the invaluable medical evacuation strength in Alaska by three additional aircraft in fiscal 2013.  It also validates the Army’s commitment and support to the aviation infrastructure through military construction programmed for replacement and upgrade of the aviation facilities.

The new combat aviation brigade activation at Fort Carson, Colo., will result in a total growth in Army forces and equipment by approximately 2,700 soldiers and 113 helicopters.  Fort Carson establishes the new brigade beginning fiscal 2013 and is expected to be completed by fiscal 2014.

The activation of these brigades will increase the capabilities of the active component of the U.S. Army and increase dwell time for aviation units between deployments in support of overseas contingency operations.  These combined force structure actions represent integrated changes that support the Army’s transformation requirements.

For more information, please call Lt. Col. Craig Ratcliff, Office of the Chief, Public Affairs, Media Relations Division, 703-697-7550.

Soldiers in Colorado slayings tell of Iraq horrors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Soldiers from an Army unit that had 10 infantrymen accused of murder, attempted murder or manslaughter after returning to civilian life described a breakdown in discipline during their Iraq deployment in which troops murdered civilians, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Some Fort Carson, Colo.-based soldiers have had trouble adjusting to life back in the United States, saying they refused to seek help, or were belittled or punished for seeking help. Others say they were ignored by their commanders, or coped through drug and alcohol abuse before they allegedly committed crimes, The Gazette of Colorado Springs said.

The Gazette based its report on months of interviews with soldiers and their families, medical and military records, court documents and photographs.

Several soldiers said unit discipline deteriorated while in Iraq.

"Toward the end, we were so mad and tired and frustrated," said Daniel Freeman. "You came too close, we lit you up. You didn't stop, we ran your car over with the Bradley," an armored fighting vehicle.

With each roadside bombing, soldiers would fire in all directions "and just light the whole area up," said Anthony Marquez, a friend of Freeman in the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. "If anyone was around, that was their fault. We smoked 'em."

Taxi drivers got shot for no reason, and others were dropped off bridges after interrogations, said Marcus Mifflin, who was eventually discharged with post traumatic stress syndrome.

"You didn't get blamed unless someone could be absolutely sure you did something wrong," he said

Soldiers interviewed by The Gazette cited lengthy deployments, being sent back into battle after surviving war injuries that would have been fatal in previous conflicts, and engaging in some of the bloodiest combat in Iraq. The soldiers describing those experiences were part of the 3,500-soldier unit now called the 4th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team.

Since 2005, some brigade soldiers also have been involved in brawls, beatings, rapes, DUIs, drug deals, domestic violence, shootings, stabbings, kidnapping and suicides.

The unit was deployed for a year to Iraq's Sunni Triangle in September 2004. Sixty-four unit soldiers were killed and more than 400 wounded — about double the average for Army brigades in Iraq, according to Fort Carson. In 2007, the unit served a bloody 15-month mission in Baghdad. It's currently deployed to the Khyber Pass region in Afghanistan.

Marquez was the first in his brigade to kill someone after an Iraq tour. In 2006, he used a stun gun to shock a drug dealer in Widefield, Colo., in a dispute over a marijuana sale, then shot and killed him.

Marquez's mother, Teresa Hernandez, warned Marquez's sergeant at Fort Carson her son was showing signs of violent behavior, abusing alcohol and pain pills and carrying a gun. "I told them he was a walking time bomb," she said.

Hernandez said the sergeant later taunted Marquez about her phone call.

"If I was just a guy off the street, I might have hesitated to shoot," Marquez told The Gazette in the Bent County Correctional Facility, where he is serving a 30-year prison term. "But after Iraq, it was just natural."

The Army trains soldiers to be that way, said Kenneth Eastridge, an infantry specialist serving 10 years for accessory to murder.

"The Army pounds it into your head until it is instinct: Kill everybody, kill everybody," he said. "And you do. Then they just think you can just come home and turn it off."

Both soldiers were wounded, sent back into action and saw friends and officers killed in their first deployment. On numerous occasions, explosions shredded the bodies of civilians, others were slain in sectarian violence — and the unit had to bag the bodies.

"Guys with drill bits in their eyes," Eastridge said. "Guys with nails in their heads."

Last week, the Army released a study of soldiers at Fort Carson that found that the trauma of fierce combat and soldier refusals or obstacles to seeking mental health care may have helped drive some to violence at home. It said more study is needed.

While most unit soldiers coped post-deployment, a handful went on to kill back home in Colorado.

Many returning soldiers did seek counseling.

"We're used to seeing people who are depressed and want to hurt themselves. We're trained to deal with that," said Davida Hoffman, director of the privately operated First Choice Counseling Center in Colorado Springs. "But these soldiers were depressed and saying, 'I've got this anger, I want to hurt somebody.' We weren't accustomed to that."

At Fort Carson, Eastridge and other soldiers said they lied during an army screening about their deployment that was designed to detect potential behavioral problems.

Sergeants sometimes refused to let soldiers get PTSD help or taunted them, said Andrew Pogany, a former Fort Carson special forces sergeant who investigates complaints for the advocacy group Veterans for America.

Soldier John Needham described a number of alleged crimes in a December 2007 letter to the Inspector General's Office of Fort Carson. In the letter, obtained by The Gazette, Needham said that a sergeant shot a boy riding a bicycle down the street for no reason.

Another sergeant shot a man in the head while questioning him, lashed the man's body to his Humvee and drove around the neighborhood. Needham also claimed sergeants removed victims' brains.

The Army's criminal investigation division interviewed unit soldiers and said it couldn't substantiate the allegations.

The Army has declared soldiers' mental health a top priority.

"When we see a problem, we try to identify it and really learn what we can do about it. That is what we are trying to do here," said Maj. Gen. Mark Graham, Fort Carson's commander. "There is a culture and a stigma that needs to change."

Fort Carson officers are trained to help troops showing stress signs, and the base has doubled its number of behavioral-health counselors. Soldiers seeing an Army doctor for any reason undergo a mental health evaluation.

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On the Net:

Colorado Springs Gazette: http://www.gazette.com