LANGLEY AFB, VA. –
You’ve got two choices in front of you: the phone or the gun.
You truly believe the gun will take the pain away. The phone… you’re not so sure. You don’t know what will happen if you pick up the phone, but you do know what will happen if you pick up the gun.
Picking up the phone can save your life if you know who to call.
“If given the opportunity, a person who is thinking of suicide will choose life,” said Chaplain (Capt.) Joe Fisher, 1st Fighter Wing flight line chaplain. “In the past two months, I’ve counseled at least three people with suicidal thoughts.”
The base chaplains and the Life Skills Support Center stand ready to help people experiencing suicidal thoughts.
“Any place you go in the Air Force a person can call a chaplain,” Chaplain Fisher said. “If I have someone in my office with suicidal thoughts, we’re going to do everything we can to get them the help they need.”
Chaplain Fisher said although they are not medical professionals, chaplains offer confidentiality to people they counsel, and most chaplains have experience when it comes to talking to people about suicide.
“We’re not trained suicide counselors,” he said. “We can do the spiritual side, but when it comes to the health side we turn them over to Life Skills.”
Staff Sgt. Liza Zajdel, Life Skills Support Center NCOIC, said the center offers an array of programs to help people from medication to group therapy.
“Our job is to assess their risk now,” she said. “Are they going to be able to function? We’re more focused on their safety than anything else.”
“They’re immediately seen by a tech,” Sergeant Zajdel continued. “An on-call provider sees them and decides if they’re actively suicidal or passive. If they’re actively suicidal, they’re hospitalized. If the person is passive, they may be seen twice a month. Higher risks are seen on a weekly basis.”
Life Skills only offers limited confidentiality, meaning the center must report people who are a danger to themselves or others or who have violated the UCMJ, and while Sergeant Zajdel admits that might deter people from coming in, she urges anyone with suicidal thoughts to seek help from someone they trust.
“We understand people feel that way,” she said. “They should go to someone they trust. It doesn’t mean they’re going to get in trouble, it just means they’re reaching out.”
Sergeant Zajdel said people can always go to their commander.
“Most commanders know what to do when faced with these issues,” she said.
Chaplain Fisher said when people with suicidal thoughts reach out, it’s important to be there for them and make sure they know they are not alone.
“I can remember every suicide that has touched my life,” he said. “The first thing you think is ‘Oh no, this is somebody’s husband, wife, son or daughter who has ceased to exist. Did they know they didn’t have to go through this alone?’”
The final installment in the series, to be seen in the June 16 issue, will focus on the impact of suicides on units.