Posted on Jan 30, 2014
SFC Senior Small Group Leader (Ssgl)
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Everyday, I, or someone I know loses someone to suicide.  Veterans make up a large number of these incidences.  What can we do as a Military community to help our brothers and sisters, and stem the tide of veteran suicides?
Posted in these groups: B4caadf8 Suicide
This is a duplicate discussion and the contents have been merged with the original discussion. Click below to see more on this topic...
SPC(P) Operating Room Specialist

Our suicide rates are at historical highs...more Soldiers/Vets have committed suicide in the last few years than all of our fallen brothers and sisters for both OEF and OIF. It's averaging 23 a day.

We have suicide prevention training, but it's only required in my unit once a year. We are taught from Day 0 that we are to have our battle buddy's back while deployed, but what about while in garrison? I don't mean to sound disrespectful or attacking anyone with this next part but...What happened to NCO's actually living by the NCO Creed? What happened to "My two basic responsibilities will always be uppermost in my mind, the accomplishment of my mission and the welfare of my Soldiers...I know my Soldiers and will always place their needs above my own"? I get that we're in the Army, that we're Soldiers first, and there are going to be times where we have to just embrace the suck and drive on. I don't think that applies though to making sure that Soldiers are doing ok.

This is a huge issue, and I don't believe that there is enough being done. At what point is this going to be a "big enough problem" for something more to be done?

 

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