R 050302Z JUL 98 ZYB
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N05360//
ALMAR 278/98
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC MR//
SUBJ/SUICIDE AWARENESS//
RMKS/1.  AS I NEAR THE END OF MY THIRD YEAR AS COMMANDANT, WE'VE
MADE STRIDES ACROSS A SPECTRUM OF QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, INCLUDING
SUICIDE PREVENTION.  SUICIDE AWARENESS TRAINING IS NOW A PART OF OUR
ANNUAL TRAINING CYCLE AND HAS BEEN INSTITUTED IN OUR FORMAL
LEADERSHIP SCHOOLS.  ALTHOUGH LAST YEAR WE HAD THE LOWEST NUMBER OF
SUICIDES IN OVER A DECADE, I TAKE LITTLE COMFORT IN THIS KNOWLEDGE
BECAUSE I SEE THE IMPACT OF THESE TRAGIC DEATHS ON OUR UNITS AND OUR
MARINE FAMILIES.
2.  THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR SUCCESS IN MAKING MARINES AND WINNING
BATTLES HAS BEEN OUR ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO ACCOMPLISH
A MISSION.  THROUGH INNOVATIVE TRAINING, WE INSTILL THE DISCIPLINE
AND CONFIDENCE NECESSARY FOR MARINES TO SUCCEED IN THE MOST DEMANDING
COMBAT ENVIRONMENTS.  A CRITICAL PART OF BUILDING SUCH CONFIDENCE IS
TEACHING MARINES TO ANTICIPATE AND PREVENT PROBLEMS THAT DETRACT FROM
READINESS.  IN THIS ALMAR, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT PREVENTION NOT
ONLY ENHANCES OUR WARFIGHTING CAPABILITIES, IT ALSO IMPROVES OUR
QUALITY OF LIFE BY REDUCING SUBSTANCE ABUSE, FAMILY PROBLEMS,
FINANCIAL STRESS, AND SUICIDE.
3.  BY PREVENTION, I MEAN TAKING PROACTIVE STEPS TO KEEP PROBLEMS
FROM HAPPENING OR FROM GETTING WORSE.  BY MAKING PREVENTION A
PRIORITY, WE GET OUT IN FRONT OF PROBLEMS SO THAT WE'RE NOT IN A
REACTIVE MODE, BUT CAN THINK AND PLAN AHEAD.  PREVENTION WORKS AT THE
INDIVIDUAL AND UNIT LEVEL.  IN THE PROFESSIONAL ARENA, PREVENTION
INVOLVES KEEPING OUR SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT UP-TO-DATE.  WHEN IT COMES
TO QUALITY OF LIFE, PREVENTION MEANS GETTING EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND
RESOURCES TO OUR MARINES AND FAMILIES SO THEY HAVE THE TOOLS AND
SKILLS NECESSARY TO DEAL SUCCESSFULLY WITH MARINE CORPS LIFE.
4.  SUICIDE IS STILL THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH OF MARINES.
SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE'VE HAD 11 POSSIBLE SUICIDES AND 117 SUICIDE
GESTURES AND ATTEMPTS.  AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE HAD 8 SUICIDES AND
109 GESTURES AND ATTEMPTS.  THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WE STILL HAVE
MUCH TO DO TOWARD PREVENTION.  WHILE OUR TRAINING HAS HELPED MARINES
TO UNDERSTAND WARNING SIGNS ABOUT SUICIDE SUCH AS DEPRESSION,
UNEXPLAINED MOOD CHANGES, FEELINGS OF HOPELESSNESS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
AND TALK ABOUT SUICIDE, WE STILL HAVE A GAP BETWEEN KNOWING ABOUT
SUICIDE AND TAKING ACTION TO PREVENT SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR.  SOMETIMES
SUCH ACTION CAN BE AS SIMPLE (AND AS HARD) AS LENDING A LISTENING
EAR.  TOO OFTEN I HEAR STORIES ABOUT MARINES WHO ARE HESITANT TO ASK
OTHERS ABOUT HOW THEY ARE REALLY DOING FOR FEAR OF INTRUDING INTO
THEIR "SPACE."
5.  GENUINE EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN ARE ALWAYS APPROPRIATE IN OUR
CORPS.  IT'S PART OF TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER.  WE MUST REEMPHASIZE
TO MARINES AND SAILORS THAT SUICIDE SOLVES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AND
THAT SEEKING HELP IS NOT A SIGN OF WEAKNESS, BUT RATHER A RESPONSIBLE
ACTION IN COPING WITH A DIFFICULT SITUATION.  SOMETIMES THE ACTION
REQUIRES GETTING A FELLOW MARINE SPECIAL HELP FROM THE CHAPLAIN,
FAMILY SERVICE CENTER, SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING CENTER, OR
HOSPITAL.  WE SHOW REAL MORAL COURAGE WHEN WE ENSURE THAT FELLOW
MARINES GET THE HELP THEY NEED.  COURAGE, COMPASSION, AND COMMITMENT
ARE HALLMARKS OF MARINE CORPS LIFE.
6.  PROBLEMS DON'T GET BETTER BY LOOKING THE OTHER WAY.  A
PREVENTION-ORIENTED APPROACH TO OUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES
MEANS WE ACT FROM PRINCIPLE TO KEEP PROBLEMS FROM HAPPENING OR
BECOMING WORSE THAN THEY NEED TO BE.  I KNOW THAT THE ISSUES
SURROUNDING SUICIDE IN OUR CORPS ARE COMPLEX--THAT'S A GIVEN.  I
DON'T WANT THE DIFFICULTY OF THE ISSUES TO LEAD US TO THROW UP OUR
HANDS OR TO LULL US INTO INACTION.  WE NEED TO STAY PROACTIVE AT
ALL LEVELS TO COMBAT THIS KILLER OF MARINES.  LET'S GET OUT IN FRONT
OF THE PROBLEMS THAT LEAD TO SUICIDE.  AS A TEAM, WE CAN MAKE A REAL
DIFFERENCE IN PREVENTING SUICIDE IN OUR CORPS.
7.  C. C. KRULAK, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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