USAG Bavaria Raises Awareness During Suicide Prevention Month

TOWER BARRACKS, Germany - The Army observes September as Suicide Prevention Month, and the team at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria is dedicating time to raising awareness and encouraging open conversations about mental health and suicide prevention.

The Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) is and has hosted a series of events across the garrison to raise awareness of this important topic.

The following events are soon to take place:

• Rose Barracks Gas Station: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 24
• Tower Barracks Main Exchange: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 29

ASAP is also hosting screenings of "Second Chance," a suicide awareness film written and directed by an ASAP specialist from Texas. Screenings of the movie will take place at the following locations:

• Tower Barracks Theater: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 22
• Rose Barracks Theater: 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 23

The ASAP team is working around the training schedules at Hohenfels and Garmisch-Partenkirchen to bring the program and movie to these communities as well.

ASAP specialist and Risk Reduction Program coordinator Anthony Ciulla said the goal is to remind Soldiers, Families, civilians and local nationals that resources are available and that accessing the resources can save lives.

"One suicide is too much," Ciulla said. "It should never happen."

He emphasized that support is always within reach.

"There're countless resources to help you when you're struggling," Ciulla said. "You can for example talk to your chaplain, behavioral health, your chain of command or ASAP."

Much of suicide prevention, he added, begins with awareness and the courage to ask questions.

"It's better to act and be wrong than to do nothing and be right," Ciulla said. "Asking someone if they're thinking about suicide doesn't put the idea in their head. It shows that you care."

Signs of distress may not always be obvious, but genuine concern can make a difference.

"Simply asking somebody how they're doing can be the difference between life and death," he said.

Prevention is also about building a network of friends and finding balance, according to Ciulla. Positive activities such as working out, spending time with Family, volunteering, joining the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program, or traveling with MWR can provide Soldiers with stronger connections.

This year's Army theme, "Stronger Together - Connect to Protect," reflects the importance of those bonds.

"Building connections is one of the best protective factors against suicide," Ciulla said.

He also urged Soldiers to look out for one another and to trust their instincts if something seems wrong. "If you have any doubts, dig deeper. 'Are you sure you're okay?' 'Are you thinking about hurting yourself?' If I think someone could be suicidal, I'll do everything in my power to convince them to get help - and I won't leave them."

At its core, Ciulla said, suicide prevention is about showing others they matter.

"I'd rather you be alive and hate me than be gone and think I'm a cool guy," he said. "Getting help shows strength. It means you see a problem, and you're taking care of it."

As the garrison recognizes Suicide Prevention Month, Ciulla emphasized that every member of the community has a role to play.

"If you reach that one person who didn't know anything about it, now they're armed with knowledge," he said. "That can make all the difference."

The Army's suicide prevention program has many resources available at https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/suicide-prevention/pages/about.html, including options for talking telephonically and by chat. There are also suicide prevention strategies available. You can also visit the USAG Bavaria website at https://home.army.mil/bavaria/ASAP.