On a recent evening Sgt. Jeffrey Cusic, a wheeled vehicle mechanic with the 1st Support Maintenance Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Brigade received a call from one of his Soldiers no other Soldier want to hear.
"I got a call from this Soldier at 9 p.m. asking me to do him a favor; to call his wife and tell her that he loves her and their kids too," said Cusic. "I knew him, and I knew right away something was wrong, that he needed my help."
For his quick response intervening with a potential suicidal attempt and coming to the aid of his Soldier, 1st Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Paul Funk recognized Cusic presenting him a commander's coin July 8 at Fort Riley, Kan.
Cusic credits his Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training for the awareness, knowledge, and steps necessary to protect a Soldier in need of aid. ASIST Training currently the Army's most effective training tool the Army has. No other training in the Army's arsenal engages the Soldier in a scenario and makes the Soldier ask the hardest questions Soldiers who are having the most difficult time, he said.
Five minutes after the phone call, Cusic was at the Soldier's door. After assessing the situation, he called an Ambulance to transport the Soldier for medical treatment.
"He later revealed that he wanted to kill himself and would take any action to try to get that to happen." Cusic said. "I told him that I refuse to be his suicide note and that they were going to get together and work through it."
Cusic stated that the Soldier is doing well after receiving care and counseling from the multitude of resources the Army has made available to all Soldiers. The PowerPoint presentations that are required are not providing other Soldiers the tools and training they need to recognize the real signs.
"Every week we state how important it is that you take care of yourself, your family and Army family," said Capt. David Lukefahr, 1st SMC commander. "This is a big deal to take that extra step and ensure the lives of our family are taken care of."
With the 'Durable' command teams in agreeance, the brigade is moving in the right direction when it comes to suicide.
"I ensure at every newcomers briefing that our number one rule of being a Pacesetter is looking out for yourself and your battle buddies," Lt. Col. Ronnie Anderson, 541st CSSB commander, said. "To understand and communicate and commit to the BRO message."
The Big Red One Knowledge Book states the men and women of the 1st Infantry Division make up a highly disciplined fighting force that embodies the adage: Brave, Responsible, and On Point for our Nation.
"The Army is a people business and it doesn't matter if you're a tanker or mechanic -- it's about taking care of each other." Funk said. "Sgt. Cosic was being a part of BRO and we are very proud of him."
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