Suicide Prevention programming in the military is a coordinated effort by many dedicated installations from across the Military Services and National Guard. To honor those installations for their exceptional efforts to increase suicide prevention awareness and engagement, the Department of Defense held its annual Suicide Prevention Recognition Ceremony in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon on September 6, 2023.
Hosted by the Defense Human Resources Activity, the ceremony recognized installation programs from U.S. Army Garrison, Rheinland-Pfalz, Kaiserslautern, Germany; Guam Army National Guard, Barrigada, Guam; Marine Aircraft Group 12, Iwakuni, Japan; Naval Special Warfare SOCOM, San Diego, California; and Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Hampton and Newport News, Virginia.
The ceremony acknowledged the installations' creative programs, outreach efforts, and commitment to suicide prevention. These efforts included Facebook live events, fitness challenges, workshops and training, events addressing various cultures and at-risk groups, a cookbook for the holidays, and over 500 cards of encouragement written by Service members and sent to other Service members that were struggling.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks addressed recipients and guests. Also in attendance were Mr. Gilbert Cisneros Jr., the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness; Ms. Beth Foster, the Executive Director, Office of Force Readiness; Mr. Jeffrey Register, Director, Defense Human Resources Activity; and Dr. Liz Clark, Director, Defense Suicide Prevention Office.
To view a recording of this ceremony, visit www.dvidshub.net/webcast/32534.
Service members and veterans who are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, or those who know a Service member or veteran in crisis, can call the Veterans/Military Crisis Line for confidential support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Call 988 and Press 1, text 988, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.
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