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2021 Department of Defense Suicide Prevention Recognition Award Winners

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kaitlyn Ergish
  • 355th Wing Public Affairs

The Davis Monthan Air Force Base Community Action Team (CAT), a collaboration of the 355th Wing Staff Helping Agencies, won the 2020-2021 Department of Defense Suicide Prevention Recognition Award recently by rallying total force Airmen and families toward preventing suicide and creating resilience across the installation.

Davis-Monthan was recognized for their exceptional suicide prevention outreach efforts during the award period of Sept. 1, 2020 through Aug. 31, 2021. 

Despite pandemic restrictions, the CAT succeeded to conceive creative ways to connect the community at DM. The team, to include the Airman and Family Readiness Center, chaplain, community support coordinator, health promotions coordinator and violence prevention integrator, facilitated a total of 60 resilience and communication building activities and 31 team-building and recreational activities for 25 units.

"What has really set us apart is how we’ve integrated our prevention team at DM," said Tech. Sgt. Julias Holmes, 355th Wing Staff Agency Integrated Resiliency Program coordinator. "The cross communication that happens here between agencies is what helps us excel. Because we focus on what we are doing, how we can assist each other and how we can get together to sync the plan of events, we are continually on track to accomplish our mission every step of the way."

The strength of DM’s prevention and resiliency programs are attributed to the positive attitudes, integrated teamwork, and cohesiveness of the CAT. Every initiative is a success because of proactive engagement, cooperative teamwork, and the selfless commitment to connect their community in order to protect Airmen and families.

“It definitely took a lot of teamwork and communication in order for us to accomplish everything that we needed to," said Tech. Sgt. Melody Reeves, 355th Wing Staff Agency Integrated Resilience Program coordinator. "Making sure everyone at DM, to include military members, civilians and contractors, have their suicide prevention training, their violence prevention training and overall resiliency needs met requires another level of teamwork, and this team did it!"