VIEW ORIGINAL
FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. – The installation took another significant step to enhance its suicide prevention and response measures during a tabletop exercise held Sept. 27 to review suicide response action plans and introduce a civilian employee suicide response module.
The Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) led the exercise to validate and refine the existing plans and procedures for responding to suicide ideations, attempts and completions.
This year's exercise introduced a new initiative specifically focused on Army civilian professionals thereby expanding the scope of the installation’s suicide prevention efforts. The garrison’s new Civilian Casualty Assistance program was highlighted as a “best practice” by Col. John Ives, garrison commander, who said the local program will soon be adopted throughout the Installation Management Command.
The Army’s Suicide Prevention Program is aligned with the "People First" priority, said Alicia Tucker, suicide prevention program manager.
“We’re building a culture of resilience by increasing proactive factors and encouraging help-seeking behaviors,” she said.
Throughout Suicide Prevention Month, multiple activities were held across the installation to amplify the theme, Connect to Protect. From the cosplay fun run that kicked off the month, to yoga, Zumba and nature walks during self-care week, the month concluded on a high note with Spirit Week and family day at the annual Fun Festival carnival.
“Those events were about connecting in a creative way,” Tucker said. “Today is a discussion amongst experts.”
The purpose of this exercise is to ensure the installation teams have solid and well-rehearsed processes in place for responding to suicide and death-related events, she explained.
The collaborative endeavor focused on rehearsing current actions for suicide response, ensuring all leaders know the required actions, validating reporting processes, proposing updates to response procedures, and generating a standard operating procedure for suicide response.
“Troop-leading procedures are there for a reason…one of those steps is ‘rehearse,’” Ives said. “So, on behalf of your Soldiers, civilians and family members, that is why we’re here. You are practicing your battle drills to take care of the team. Thank you for that.”
With that, units and leaders seated around the room prepared to tackle each of the suicide modules outlined in the exercise.
Company A, 305th Military Intelligence Battalion; Company B, 304th MI Bn.; and the 18th Military Police Detachment led the individual suicide scenario discussions during the tabletop exercise. The ASAP team spearheaded the new civilian employee suicide scenario for discussion.
Multiple units and activities from across the installation participated in the tabletop exercise, including the Directorate of Emergency Services, Criminal Investigation Division, unit command teams, unit ministry teams, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization & Security, the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence’s G3, Public Affairs Office, the Directorate of Human Resources’ Military Personnel Division and Casualty Assistance Center, Military Family Life Consultants, the Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center’s Behavioral Health team, Staff Judge Advocate, and others.
Suicide prevention remains one of the installation’s top priorities, and this exercise served as a key component in the ongoing efforts to safeguard the well-being of service members and civilian employees. Introducing the civilian employee suicide response module adds a new dimension to the Army's comprehensive approach to suicide prevention and response.
# # #
Fort Huachuca is home to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command/9th Army Signal Command and more than 48 supported tenants representing a diverse, multiservice population. Our unique environment encompasses 946 square miles of restricted airspace and 2,500 square miles of protected electronic ranges, key components to the national defense mission.
Located in Cochise County, in southeast Arizona, about 15 miles north of the border with Mexico, Fort Huachuca is an Army installation with a rich frontier history. Established in 1877, the Fort was declared a national landmark in 1976.
We are the Army’s Home. Learn more at https://home.army.mil/huachuca/.
Social Sharing