Suicide video hits home for SNCO

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. James Jarvis
  • 436th Training Squadron
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  Over my 19 years of military service, I have continuously been briefed about the importance of identifying and assisting my fellow Airmen who portray the classic signs of suicide.

However, it was during the making of an Air Combat Command video that the message finally became clear to me, as I now realize that this problem is bigger than I had previously imagined.

Since the inception of “ACC Off-Duty Survivor Stories: Suicide Choices; Terminal Consequences” video, I’ve had several coworkers, friends and even family members speak to me about their experiences and thoughts about this brutal subject.

I always believed this was a problem that only touched people whom I didn’t really know, but now I realize differently.

In fact, I’ve had three coworkers and friends disclose how they had all lost siblings to this tragic and senseless act in the past few months, and it made me realize how close this problem really does hit home.

As I listened to each of them speak, I couldn’t help but reflect back at my own attitude about this subject when I was a young Airman.

Embarrassingly enough, I actually believed all the hype surrounding the mental health clinic during that time in my career and thought I would be ruining someone else’s career if I ever actually contacted those professionals on their behalf.

In fact, one night nearly 14 years ago, a friend of mine did cry out for help, and because of my ignorance and the false stigma attached to the mental health clinic, I’m ashamed to admit I really wasn’t a good “wingman” for him.

Although I did make an initial call, I didn’t feel right, and I wouldn’t give up his name -- even through the persistent pleadings of the mental health professional on the other end of the line. I did, however, stay with my friend for several hours after he showed me his new handgun and spoke about his desperate despair of how he was going to shoot himself with his pending terminal breakup with his wife.

Although I still feel guilty today for not really fulfilling my duty as a good wingman, luckily, he didn’t actually go through with his desperate plan. Had he done so, I couldn’t imagine the enormous burden and grief I would still carry with me today. In fact, given the opportunity to do it over again, I would definitely act differently as I now realize the professionals at Life Skills really do care about people and are an excellent resource for those in need.

My hope is that people will have an emotional experience when they watch our new ACC video production and carefully evaluate their own actions in the event they ever need to reach out and help one of their coworkers or friends.

As the name of the production implies, suicide is really a poor choice, and if made, will only result in a senseless terminal consequence for someone who really just needed a little assistance at the time.

The “ACC Off-Duty Survivor Stories: Suicide Choices; Terminal Consequences” is available at http://dodimagery.afis.osd.mil/davis/. Enter “ACC Off Duty Survivor Stories” in the search engine.

I encourage everyone to watch it and help the Air Force address this devastating problem.