US Surgeon General Announces National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

The U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Adm. Regina M. Benjamin and the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention have teamed up on a national strategy to guide suicide prevention efforts in the United States over the next ten years. The plan highlights four directions with various goals and objectives meant to prevent suicide.

The Surgeon General recognizes that suicide is a serious public health issue that causes deep pain for victims and for those left behind. The new strategy outlines four strategic directions aimed at prevention:

 ■Create supportive environments that promote healthy and empowered individuals, families and communities

 ■Enhance clinical and community preventive services

 ■Promote the availability of timely treatment and support services

 ■Improve suicide prevention surveillance collection, research and evaluation

The strategy seeks to change the way the way suicide is spoken about and to reduce stigmas associated with depression and other mental health issues. The partnership has released a public service announcement to highlight the role we can all play in preventing suicides.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, or know someone who is, call the National Veterans/Military Crisis Line at (800) 273-8255 (press 1).

Read more about suicide prevention awareness on health.mil.

Defense Department Studies Families Mourning Service Members

By Lisa Daniel

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – The Defense Department’s Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences is conducting the nation’s first large-scale study of the impact of a service member’s death on surviving family members.

The university’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, based in Bethesda, Md., received funding through DOD’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program to conduct the five-year study to fill a void in understanding the myriad ways families are affected by a service member’s death ranging from the emotional impact to loss of benefits, Dr. Stephen J. Cozza, director of the center’s child and family program and a principal investigator of the study, said today.

“This is an opportunity for recognizing that military service has certain unique challenges, certain strengths, certain risks or potential protective factors,” Cozza said in an American Forces Press Service interview. “So this is an important opportunity to really understand the experiences of surviving family members and by understanding, to inform future policies.”

In the first phase of the National Military Bereavement Study, the center is seeking about 3,000 participants through its website whose family member died while on active duty since 9/11, Cozza said, noting that several hundred participants already are lined up. One-third of those deaths have been combat-related, one-third have been from accidents, and a significant number have been from illnesses and suicide, he said. The study will include any causes of death, and participants may be spouses or ex-spouses, parents, siblings or children by birth, marriage or adoption.

Participants will be asked to fill out a questionnaire in the study’s first phase. Then, they will be asked if they and their families will participate in the second phase, which studies families, including children ages 6 to 18, with in-person interviews.

In the first phase, participants also will be asked if they are willing to provide a saliva sample to provide genetic information to help understand whether a genetic factor applies to risk and resilience, Cozza said.

“Most people after a death – adults or children – have clear and significant mourning,” he said. “Over time, most return to healthy functioning, even if they continue to harbor grief and sadness. … But there does seem to be some population of adults and children where there are more complicated courses of bereavement. … We want to understand the likely risk factors for that.”

The study will follow families over the course of two years to understand how bereavement changes over time, Cozza said, adding that investigation of families isn’t well-known in the civilian world either.

“No two people’s experiences are the same,” Cozza said. “We really want to give as broad a description of these surviving family members as possible in all these relationship categories.”

The center has several nonprofit partners with the study, including the National Military Family Association, the Military Child Education Coalition, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and others.

Silver Star Recipients Added to Valor Site

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2012 – Officials have added the names of those who have received Silver Star awards to a website listing recipients of the nation’s highest awards for valor.

The site launched in July with the names of those who have received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor, since Sept. 11, 2001.

On Aug. 1, officials added the names of those who have received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross or the Air Force Cross – the nation’s second-highest valor awards.

Now, the site also lists those who have received the Silver Star.

The site -- at http://valor.defense.gov -- is designed to raise awareness of service members’ heroism and to help in deterring those who falsely claim military honors, officials said.

Wisconsin Guard cadets part of international exchange

Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office

Two Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers participating in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater were among six cadets to spend a month abroad recently in a cultural exchange program, teaching English as a second language to military cadets in other nations.

Cadet Derek Kumrow, 24, of Random Lake, Wis., is a member of the 829th Engineer Company. The business graduate student taught English through the Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) program. He described the trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"I was completely on the opposite side of the world learning what it takes to become an officer in other countries' military," Kumrow said. "I met people and experienced things that I would have never got the chance to do any other time in my life."

Cadet Daniel Kaiser, 22, of Appleton, Wis., is a member of the 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry and also is the ROTC cadet battalion commander at UW-Whitewater. The sociology and criminal justice senior taught English to cadets in Lithuania, and said the trip raised his awareness of the differences between cultures.

"As future leaders, it is important for cadets to realize that policies that are made often have a father reaching influence than what first comes to mind," Kaiser said. "It is important to look at all variables. This trip has given me a tendency to think about things in a broader perspective."

Other cadets visited Hanoi, Vietnam; the Ukraine, and South Korea. Besides teaching English, the cadets were charged with creating better bonds with residents in the countries they visited.

To prepare for the CULP trip, cadets had to complete courses through the State Department and Department of Defense, learn how to teach English as a second language, learn some of the language and customs of the nation they would visit - and, of course, receive vaccinations.

UW-Whitewater launched its CULP program in 2009, and first sent students to Ghana in 2011 as part of an internship program.

Information for this article was provided by the UW-Whitewater Royal Purple.

Face of Defense: Soldier Intervenes to Help Troubled Friend

By Army Sgt. Megan Garcia

3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 25, 2012 – The day Army Sgt. Sheldon Benjamin’s friend asked him if he wanted his TV, Sheldon knew that something just wasn’t right.

“He was real teary faced -- a way that I just wasn’t used to seeing him,” said Benjamin, an infantryman with Honor Guard Company, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). “I told him to [unlatch] his door and that I would be over there in a little bit.”

When Sheldon arrived to his friend’s room, he was shocked at what he saw. Instantly, he knew his friend was in trouble.

“When I went into his room, there were weird things I just wasn’t used to seeing,” Benjamin said. “His room was really messy. There were little pills on the floor and the desk counter, and when I looked at his computer, I saw a MoneyGram website for transferring money.”

However, no warning sign was more apparent than when Benjamin heard these four words: “I’m done with this.”

Immediately, Benjamin staged an intervention, calling on other soldiers to come and sit with his friend while he went and sought help.

“I was relieved,” said Army Spc. Andre Whyne, an infantryman with 4th Battalion, Headquarters and Headquarters Company. “I was really stressed out. I had a lot on my mind at that time, like family and a little bit of financial issues, and it all just caved in on me. When Benjamin and the other guys responded the way they did, I knew someone actually cared about me and was there for me.”

Whyne gained hope after seeing how his comrades reacted to his distress. He credits the quick actions of Benjamin and his battle buddies, as well as the immense support of his unit, for saving his life. As he took steps toward his recovery, he said, members of The Old Guard were with him every step of the way.

“After everything happened, I was in the hospital for two weeks, and every day someone from my platoon came to visit me,” Whyne said. “It felt good to have people there who understood me and what I was going through.”

Whyne said Army Chaplain (Capt.) Mark Denning reached out to him not only as a source of spiritual strength, but also as a friend and a listening ear.

“At first I was very closed and didn’t want to talk about it, but we continued to have regular meetings, and sometimes he would take me out to lunch,” Whyne said. “Eventually, I was able to open up to him.”

Denning said relating to Whyne on a more personal level was key.

“For me, the difference I can make is to get to know someone for who they really are outside of just the Army,” the chaplain said. “I think everyone has worth, and being able to walk through that journey with Whyne was important. Caring about someone is not just what I say, but what I do.”

Whyne went back to work immediately following his release from the hospital, although he said his chain of command was willing to give him as much time as he needed.

“The biggest role that the unit has to play is leaders and other soldiers not only have to be aware and alert to a soldier who is suicidal, but also have to be willing to step up and take action,” said Army Col. Michelle Roberts, Military District of Washington public affairs officer, who worked for two years on an Army suicide-prevention task force.

“With the way everyone rallied around [Whyne] and helped him through that rough time, it was natural for him to come back to work, because he still felt like part of the team,” she added.

Thanks to tremendous support, Whyne said, his outlook on life has definitely changed.

“I really didn’t see where my life was going at that time, but now I know things aren’t as bad as I thought they were,” he said. “I once thought everyone was in their own world and nobody cared about each other, but now I know differently.”

Whyne said he hopes his story will inspire other soldiers to reach out to someone if they are in a desperate place.

“Talk to your closest buddy in the Army or someone in your squad or platoon,” he said. “They will help you through it. Without the help of my battle buddies, I never would have made it.”