U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Douglas Lorance ()
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --
The Department of Defense recognizes September as Suicide Awareness Month. This time acknowledges and provides way to mitigate the emotional difficulties of military service members.
Osan’s violence prevention team is finding ways to reach out to the Airmen who need them. The current motto of “Connect to Protect.”
“We provide briefings, training, and education for violence related issues across the board to active-duty Airmen as well as civilians,” said L. Diane Heard, violence prevention integrator and suicide prevention program manager.
In their efforts to educate Osan on the mental health options available to them, the suicide prevention program aims to get ahead of potential problems instead of reacting to events after they have occurred.
“Our focus is on being proactive and stopping problems before they become problems,” Heard said.
To reach all of the Airmen in need, the suicide prevention program relies on the assistance of volunteers to help spread the word to more isolated areas of the base, such as the flight line.
“The flightline can feel separated from the rest of the base, so I reach out and provide counsel to those airmen in an environment they’re comfortable in,” said Tech. Sgt. Derek Brown, 51st Munitions Squadron armament cast chief and violence prevention volunteer.
Brown trained in wingman intervention and suicide prevention techniques so he could assist the suicide prevention program in helping those in need and educating his fellow Airmen in how to address their mental health concerns.
“We have our four pillars of wellness in the Air Force; physical, mental, spiritual, and social,” said Brown. “And positive mental health contributes directly to at least three of them.”
Getting mental health information out to Airmen in need is not the only challenge the suicide prevention program faces. They also have to change the current cultural outlook on mental health and remove the stigma surrounding seeking help for it.
“We are trying to make seeking services and help a normal thing to do,” said Heard. “You have individuals out there struggling that have been taught that they should be able to handle it on their own.”
The cultural stigma for seeking help from mental health aid is not the only challenge the suicide prevention program faces. There’s also the fear many Airmen have of negative career repercussions for seeking mental health.
“That’s a common misconception, that if you seek mental health your career is over,” said Heard. “It’s not going to be detrimental to your well-being to seek mental help.”
Another challenge is getting Airmen to overcome the bystander effect and help out their fellow Airmen.
“Looking out for your mental health as well as your fellow Airman’s can be a matter of life or death,” said Brown.
Being an Airman can present unique challenges with unique stressors that might feel unmanageable and overwhelming, but the suicide prevention program is here to help.
“Help is available. There’s nothing wrong with seeking help,” said Heard. “It takes strength to say ‘I need help’.”
