R 271410Z FEB 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0134/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC SD//
SUBJ/ALL HANDS SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING//
REF/A/MSGID:MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC SD/152222ZDEC2008//
NARR/REF A IS MARADMIN 707/08, TWENTIETH EXECUTIVE SAFETY BOARD (ESB) RESULTS.//
POC/AARON D. WERBEL/CDR/UNIT: MRA, SEMPER FIT/-/TEL:703-784-9542//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. FORTY-ONE MARINES DIED BY SUICIDE IN CALENDAR YEAR 2008 AND ANOTHER 146 ATTEMPTED TO KILL THEMSELVES.  THIS IS OUR HIGHEST RATE OF SUICIDE SINCE 1995 AND REFLECTS AN UNACCEPTABLE LOSS OF LIFE FOR THE MARINE CORPS. EACH AND EVERY MARINE IS CRITICAL TO OUR CORPS AND OUR MISSION. AS A RESULT OF THE 20TH ESB (REF A), NEW INITIATIVES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED AIMED AT REDUCING SUICIDE ACROSS THE MARINE CORPS INCLUDING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, LEADERSHIP VIDEOS ON SUICIDE PREVENTION (O-6 COMMANDERS AND UP) AND A HIGH IMPACT NCO TRAINING COURSE.
2. DATA SUGGESTS THAT REQUIRED TRAINING IN SUICIDE PREVENTION DECREASES SUICIDES, AND A STRONG COMMANDER'S MESSAGE CAN REDUCE THE STIGMA THAT SOMETIMES KEEPS MARINES FROM SEEKING ASSISTANCE. 
3. THIS MARADMIN DIRECTS AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT AIMED AT EDUCATING EVERY MARINE ON SUICIDE PREVENTION WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH. BETWEEN 1-31 MARCH, COMMANDERS WILL CONDUCT SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING WITH ALL HANDS USING MATERIALS THAT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU AND YOUR SUICIDE PREVENTION LEADERSHIP VIDEOS.
4. THE FULL TRAINING PACKAGE, INCLUDING SLIDES AND INSTRUCTORS MANUAL, WILL BE AVAILABLE ON FRIDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 2009 AT HTTP:WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL UNDER ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAGE. IT IS WRITTEN TO BE DELIVERED BY COMMANDING OFFICERS AT THE COMPANY/BATTALION/SQUADRON LEVEL, BUT DISCRETION IS LEFT TO COMMANDERS TO BEST IMPLEMENT THE TRAINING DURING THE REQUIRED TIME PERIOD.
5. PUBLICATION OF THIS MESSAGE CONSTITUTES OFFICIAL TASKING.
6. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY GENERAL JAMES F. AMOS, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//