R 121558Z DEC 14
MARADMIN 648/14
MSGID/MARADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS SD//
SUBJ/HOLIDAY SEASON SUICIDE PREVENTION ‘CALL TO ACTION’//
POC/T. J. BLACKWELL/LTCOL/MF DIV/-/TEL:703-784-9174/
EMAIL:THOMAS.BLACKWELL(AT)USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. INDIVIDUAL MARINES AND SAILORS ARE THE HEART OF OUR CORPS. THEIR WELL-BEING IS OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY, YET DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS, MARINES AND SAILORS CONTINUE TO TAKE THEIR OWN LIVES, INCLUDING OVER 45 INDIVIDUALS THIS YEAR ALONE. THESE LOSSES DO NOT KNOW GRADE, MOS OR UNIT BOUNDARIES. THEY ARE ALL AROUND US. LEADERS AT EVERY LEVEL IN THE CORPS MUST REMAIN ALERT FOR THOSE AT RISK FOR SUICIDE AND OTHER SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIORS. ALL MARINES MUST TAKE PREEMPTIVE MEASURES TO HELP FELLOW SERVICEMEMBERS REINFORCE THEIR OWN PROTECTIVE INSTINCTS, TO ADDRESS THEIR PERSONAL CONCERNS, AND MUST INTERVENE TO HELP OTHERS BETTER COPE WITH THEIR ISSUES. THIS REQUIRES ENGAGED LEADERSHIP AND DAILY VIGILANCE. WE SHOULD ALWAYS REINFORCE THIS MESSAGE, PARTICULARLY THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
2. THE CORPS HAS INVESTED IN MANY PROGRAMS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE AND TO HELP US ELIMINATE SUICIDES. THE MARINE INTERCEPT PROGRAM (MIP), FORCE PRESERVATION COUNCILS (FPC), MARINE FAMILY LIFE COUNSELORS (MFLC), ON-LINE SUPPORT AND VARIOUS HOTLINES SUCH AS DSTRESS (1-877-476-7734) ARE ALWAYS CLOSE AT HAND. OUR CHAPLAINS ARE AVAILABLE 24/7, THEY MAINTAIN ABSOLUTE CONFIDENTIALITY ON ALL PERSONAL MATTERS, AND ARE A PROVEN CONDUIT OF REFERRAL TO OUR PROVIDERS AT MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES, AND TO LOCAL COMMUNITY COUNSELING STAFFS AT MARINE AND FAMILY PROGRAMS.
3. ALONG WITH THESE RESOURCES, SUICIDE AWARENESS TRAINING IS PARAMOUNT AND MUST BE CONTINUOUS. TRAINING THROUGH OPERATIONAL STRESS CONTROL AND READINESS (OSCAR) PROVIDES OUR SMALL UNIT LEADERS AND SELECTED MARINES WITH SKILLS TO IDENTIFY STRESS AT EARLY MANIFESTATION. ‘NEVER LEAVE A MARINE BEHIND’ TRAINING AND THE FORTHCOMING ‘UNIT MARINE AWARENESS PREVENTION INTERVENTION TRAINING’(UMAPIT), ARE BASED ON PRINCIPLES OF BYSTANDER INTERVENTION AND TAKE AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO PREVENTING SUICIDE BY TARGETING THE MULTITUDE OF FACTORS THAT CAN LEAD TO THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE.
4. OUR CORPS’ EXECUTIVE FORCE PRESERVATION BOARD (EFPB) NOTES WITH REGULARITY THOSE MANY MARINES AND SAILORS WHO THINK ABOUT OR ATTEMPT SUICIDE BASED UPON STRESSFUL RELATIONSHIP ISSUES, SIGNIFICANT LEGAL OR FINANCIAL CONCERNS, OR WHO ARE STRUGGLING AS A RESULT OF TRANSITIONING TO A NEW COMMAND. HISTORY TELLS US THAT COLLECTIVELY WE MUST CONDUCT CONCRETE AND VISIBLE PLANNING AND SUPPORT THAT ENSURES A ‘WARM HAND-OFF’ FOR ALL PERSONNEL IN TRANSITION.
5. WE MUST CONTINUE TO KEEP FAITH WITH OUR MARINES AND FAMILIES THROUGH COMMAND CLIMATES THAT FOSTER APPROACHABILITY AND AVAILABILITY. SUICIDE IS A COMPLEX PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES 24/7,‘ALL-HANDS’ ENGAGED AND COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP. ALTHOUGH THE ENVIRONMENT WE LIVE AND OPERATE IN CONSTANTLY CHANGES, OUR LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES AND TRAITS REMAIN UNCHANGED. THIS EXTENDS TO THE ISSUE OF SUICIDE PREVENTION.
6. DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, LEADERS AT EVERY LEVEL NEED TO RE-ENGAGE AND IDENTIFY THOSE WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE MANY RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO HELP ELIMINATE SUICIDE FROM OUR RANKS. WE MUST NOT REST IN OUR EFFORTS TO PREVENT SUICIDE;COMMANDERS AND OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE SHOULD ADDRESS THIS MARADMIN,ENSURING ALL MARINES AND SAILORS ARE AWARE OF ITS CONTENT PRIOR TO THE START OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
7. THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE TOTAL FORCE MARINE CORPS.
8. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MAJOR GENERAL M. R. REGNER, STAFF DIRECTOR, HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS.//