WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. - The White Sands Missile Range community gathered for an engaging Community Wellness Fair on Sept. 17 at the Professional Development Center. Various vendors made a special trip from surrounding areas to White Sands to provide valuable information about mental health and share resources with the community.
The day began with a proclamation signing by WSMR Commander Brig. Gen. George C. Turner, WSMR Command Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Cordery, WSMR Garrison Commander Col. Don Mozer and WSMR Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Jamal Latore.
“There are two numbers I want you to walk away with today. One is 100 percent, and one is zero percent. We want to get 100 percent where everyone is well and zero percent where no one commits suicide,” said Turner. “It is unfortunate that we have this problem, but the good thing is that the Army recognizes the problems and gets after them to fix them.”
Jessica Williams, the Army Substance Abuse Program Prevention Specialist for the Employee Assistance Program, took the lead in organizing this year’s event. She was thrilled to see a collective effort, with the enthusiastic participation of vendors and the WSMR employees who gathered to discover local resources supporting a holistic approach to preventing suicide and promoting health and wellness.
“I hope this shows people that there is a whole set of resources once they leave base, especially when it comes to suicide,” said Williams. “Hopefully, they see they are not alone. There are resources they can reach out to if they need help.”
Angelica Murillo is a veterans’ therapist representing Amistad from El Paso, Texas. She was particularly pleased to be invited to the event, especially since it is Suicide Prevention Month, a time of heightened awareness and action.
“Amistad has a veterans’ program that provides general assistance to help pay for utilities and rent. We also have a peer support specialist who helps with other services,” said Murillo. “Today, we are promoting our mental health services, which include mental health therapy. It’s absolutely free.”
Isabella Bencomo, victim advocate for La Pinon, Sexual Assault Recovery Services, serves southern New Mexico. La Pinon provides resources for victims of sexual assault, including children.
“There are a lot of people engaging with us, asking questions, and being willing to talk to us about our services. I know it is an uncomfortable conversation, but it’s refreshing that people are willing to have these conversations with us today,” said Bencomo.
For more information on suicide prevention, mental health or information on the vendors who attended, please reach out to the Army Substance Abuse Program at 575-678-2122.
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