MEDIA CONTEST: Suicide – not painless for those left behind (Series 3C)

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  • Series Entry 3C
ACC MEDIA CONTEST --  When someone takes that final step and ends their life, it's over for them, but for the people left behind it's just the beginning.

Suicides have a profound effect not only on their family and friends but on the unit as well.

"When one of our Airmen attempt suicide, it has a ripple effect that affects the unit," said Chap. (Capt.) Joe Fisher, 1st Fighter Wing flightline chaplain.

"It has a wide-range, depending on the size and cohesiveness of the unit."

When a unit is faced with the fact that one of their own is not coming back, the natural
thing for them to do is wonder if there was something they could have done, Chaplain Fisher said.

"They have guilt feelings. They ask themselves, 'Did they give warning signs? Why did I miss this?'" he said. "In military units it has a very strong ripple effect where in the civilian sector may even go unnoticed."

Chief Master Sgt. Kenny Carswell, 1st Logistics Readiness Squadron first sergeant, has been a first sergeant for eight years, during which he's assisted other first sergeants and leadership when dealing with suicides.

"Naturally there's lots of questions," he said. "'Why did this happen?' The unit's leadership begin to questions themselves. That's where it starts, thinking there was something they could have done."

Chief Carswell said how a person commits suicide can affect the reactions of the unit.
"In some cases there are signs," he said. "From a leadership point of view, it's a challenge. All we can do is send them to Life Skills or the chaplain. In some cases there are no outward signs."

While the impact on units is bad enough, suicides also have an impact on the mission.
"Any time you lose someone, it forces us to pull someone from somewhere else, starting a domino effect," he said. "In some cases, how it affects others can pull them from the mission as friends and comrades are pulled for counseling."

Combating the effects of suicide requires fast action, Chief Carswell said.

"One of the first things we do is bring the squadron together and brief them," he said. "Rumors start quickly, so we brief them on the details and squelch rumors. We have the chaplains and Life Skills available for them."

"We reinforce to all of them that it's okay to grieve," he continued. "There's no set time for grieving. Death affects people differently."

While too late for some, there are programs to teach people to deal with and help prevent suicides. Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training teaches Airmen what to do when dealing with a person with suicidal thoughts.

"It's the only intervention program the Air Force has," Chaplain Fisher said. "It's first aid. We try to make it clear that we're not training suicide counselors. What they need is someone who will keep them alive."

ASIST teaches people to link suicidal people to resources like Life Skills or the chaplain, but also to listen and be there for people.

"ASIST-trained people listen for reasons to live," he said. "Whatever might be a reason for them to live for the next five minutes."

One of the lessons in ASIST training deals with the questions that commonly haunt people affected by suicides.

"In the end, it's not your responsibility," Chaplain Fisher said. "Ultimately, it's in their hands."

Chief Carswell said the important thing to do is listen. "A lot of times people are asking for help the only way they know how. You have to be perceptive."

Editor's Note: This is the final installment of the three-part suicide prevention series.