CHARLESTON, W.Va. –
September is National Suicide Awareness Month, and the West Virginia National Guard is sharing resources and information that can help Soldiers and Airmen care for themselves and their families.
Suicide continues to be an issue both for the U.S. population at large, but more specifically for the U.S. Military. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that suicide is the second leading cause of death for those aged 15-34 and the 10th leading cause of death in adults, as of 2019. It is estimated 20 veterans die each day by suicide, according to the 2018 Veteran’s Affairs Suicide Data Report. According to the U.S. Army’s Annual Suicide Report from 2019, approximately 75 Guardsmen ended their own lives.
Robin Kincaid, Resilience and Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention Coordinator (R3SP) for the WVNG, says that some of the top risk factors for suicide or thoughts of suicide include relationship trouble, financial issues and alcohol and substance abuse..
Members of the WVNG have access to many resources that mitigate these risk factors.
In West Virginia, a TRICARE representative specifically for National Guard service members can assist in obtaining healthcare. If a service member is having financial issues, a financial adviser is available, free of charge. West Virginia is the only state that provides those specific services for its National Guard members. Kincaid notes that if a Soldier is having issues passing a physical fitness test or wants to be healthier, a registered dietician available to help with that, too.
“Suicide is bigger than just mental health. There’s so much that goes into it. There’s housing, education, everything kind of ties into suicide prevention and intervention,” said Josh Sapp, Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the WVNG. “I think every service offered is underutilized. They’re here and they’re free. All of our services, including education and financial services, help Guardsmen set goals and to look ahead. If you’re looking ahead to the future, people tend to have those suicidal thoughts less.”
In addition to helping service members find resources to assist them in their day-to-day lives, the National Guard wants soldiers to incorporate resiliency into both their personal and professional lives.
Soldiers and Airmen can take a Master Resiliency Training course to learn how to help themselves and fellow service members. Some of the topics covered in the course include mental agility, strength of character, optimism, and self-awareness. Those who complete the training can help provide and sustain resiliency training to their unit and train supervisory leaders on incorporating resiliency into professional and developmental counseling.
“We get into rigid thought patterns and then something doesn’t go our way, we don’t know how to refocus and adapt in order to solve that problem, and that’s what resiliency does,” Sapp said. “When you hit a bump in the road, how do you process, handle and move forward in a productive way? That’s the importance of resiliency.”
Kincaid said resiliency is important to changing the way Guardsmen perceive themselves and can go a long way in protecting their mental health.
“If you can change the way you think, you can change the way you act,” she said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts, reach out to someone, such as a unit commander, a chaplain, Behavioral Health, Suicide Prevention Coordinator or a friend.
“Reach out. Don’t wait,” Sapp said. “The worst thing you can do is keep it to yourself.”
The 24/7/365 Veterans Crisis Line is available at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), then press 1, via text at 838255 or online at www.veteranscrisisline.net. A crisis responder will be available to talk and assist through any life situation, not just thoughts of suicide.
For more information about available suicide awareness and prevention resources available to members of the WVNG, please contact Josh Sapp at 304-561-6827 or email josh.d.sapp.ctr@mail.mil. Reach Robin Kincaid at robin.y.kincaid.civ@mail.mil.