R 101100Z DEC 97 ZYB
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N05300//
ALMAR 409/97
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC MHH//
SUBJ/SUICIDE AWARENESS//
RMKS/1.  SUICIDE AMONG OUR MARINES CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM THAT
DEMANDS OUR UTMOST ATTENTION AND LEADERSHIP.  WE MUST BE EVER
VIGILANT TO THE SIGNS OF DEPRESSION AND TAKE PREEMPTIVE ACTION BY
SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP FROM THE MEDICAL OFFICER, CHAPLAIN, OR
FAMILY SERVICE CENTER FOR MARINES AND SAILORS WHO EXHIBIT THE
WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDE.  BASED ON INFORMATION COLLECTED:
-- AN AVERAGE OF 30 ACTIVE DUTY MARINES PER YEAR COMMIT SUICIDE.
-- THIS YEAR 21 MARINES HAVE TAKEN THEIR LIVES.
-- ANOTHER 245 MARINES HAVE MADE SUICIDE GESTURES OR ATTEMPTS.
-- SUICIDE IS SECOND ONLY TO ACCIDENTS AS THE LEADING KILLER OF
  MARINES.
-- THE MARINE CORPS HAS THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE OF THE ARMED
  SERVICES.
2.  HISTORICAL INFORMATION PROVIDES HELPFUL INSIGHTS AS TO THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUICIDE VICTIMS:
-- OVER 56% OF SUICIDE VICTIMS ARE E-1 THROUGH E-3.
-- MORE THAN 95% OF THOSE WHO COMMIT SUICIDE ARE MALE.
-- NEARLY 60% OF SUICIDES, AND MORE THAN 74% OF ATTEMPTS AND
  GESTURES, ARE COMMITTED BY MARINES AGES 17 TO 24.
SEVERAL RISK FACTORS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO SUICIDE.  THESE INCLUDE:
-- SIGNIFICANT MARITAL OR INTERPERSONAL PROBLEMS.
-- SERIOUS LEGAL, FINANCIAL, OR DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS.
-- SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL OR ISOLATION.
-- DEPRESSION OR UNEXPLAINED MOOD CHANGES.
-- INCREASED ALCOHOL USE OR ALCOHOL ABUSE/DEPENDENCE.
-- DECREASED JOB PERFORMANCE.
-- DECLINE IN PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
-- SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN SLEEP OR APPETITE PATTERNS.
-- STATEMENTS ABOUT SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, INTENTIONS, OR PLANS.
FURTHERMORE WHILE THERE ARE COMMONALITIES AMONG SUICIDE VICTIMS SUCH
AS AGE, SEX, AND RANK, THERE ARE NO CLEAR TRENDS WHICH SUGGEST THAT
CERTAIN TYPES OF UNITS EXPERIENCE MORE SUICIDES THAN OTHERS.
3.  SUICIDE AWARENESS TRAINING IS CURRENTLY A PART OF THE INSTRUCTION
PROVIDED AT FORMAL CAREER LEVEL SCHOOLS.  AT THE UNIT LEVEL, ANNUAL
SUICIDE AWARENESS TRAINING IS REQUIRED BY MCO 6200.4A, THE SEMPER
FIT PROGRAM FOR THE MARINE CORPS.  SEMPER FIT PROVIDES TRAINING
RESOURCES NOT ONLY IN SUICIDE AWARENESS, BUT ALSO IN STRESS
MANAGEMENT AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION.  THESE TRAINING
RESOURCES PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND CAN BE USED TO ADDRESS
SUICIDE RISK FACTORS.
4.  WHILE TRAINING RESOURCES PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING
SUICIDE AWARENESS, THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ROLE EACH OF US
MUST PLAY IN SUICIDE PREVENTION.  THERE ARE CASES WHERE MARINES WHO
HAVE HELPED OTHER MARINES HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE.  TO BEGIN WITH,
LEADERS MUST DESTIGMATIZE TREATMENT FOR EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS; SEEKING
HELP IS NOT A SIGN OF WEAKNESS, BUT RATHER A RESPONSIBLE ACTION IN
COPING WITH A DIFFICULT SITUATION.  WE NEED TO TELL MARINES AND
SAILORS THAT SUICIDE CREATES "VICTIMS" BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL.  THE
COMMAND SUFFERS, THE CORPS SUFFERS, AND MOST OF ALL THOSE WHO CARE
SUFFER.  WE MUST EMPHASIZE THAT SUICIDE SOLVES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
IT IS A PERMANENT AND SENSELESS RESPONSE TO A TEMPORARY PROBLEM.
MARINES DEAL WITH THEIR PROBLEMS, RATHER THAN HIDE FROM THEM OR HARM
THEMSELVES AS A WAY OF AVOIDING THEIR PROBLEMS.
5.  SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION BEGIN WITH EACH OF US AND ARE
CENTRAL TO OUR CORE VALUES.  AS LEADERS, WE MUST ENSURE THAT TRAINING
AND APPROPRIATE REFERRAL RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO OUR MARINES AND
SAILORS.  ONLY BY WORKING TOGETHER AT ALL LEVELS CAN WE ELIMINATE THE
HORRIBLE TOLL OF THESE SENSELESS ACTS.
6.  C. C. KRULAK, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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