Three recent suicides of soldiers in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, which has the lowest suicide rate of any division in the Army, has served as a wake-up call for leaders.
“We’re doing, for a lack of better words, mental gymnastics to think ‘what are we missing?’ ” 10th Mountain Division Command Sergeant Major Mario Terenas said upon learning three soldiers took their own lives.
Tenth Mountain Division officials were adamant that the days of stigma, being fearful to ask for help with mental health, were gone. Officials also discussed the highest priority the division places on ensuring soldiers get that help they ask for. So when the calls came in two weeks ago for three suicides in three days, it was a massive wake-up call.
What You Need To Know
- Military and government officials are still looking into what it can do to prevent soldiers from taking their lives
- U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is looking for answers
- Gillibrand seeks passage of the Brandon Act and other legislation to ensure more soldiers have access to mental health care without repercussions
“Put simply, suicide is the military in a crisis,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told reporters Thursday.
In her eyes, Gillibrand says more needs to be done regarding mental health stigma within the military. She’s pushing for passage of the Brandon Act, named after a sailor who three years ago took his own life after being bullied by a superior.
The act would trigger help for a military member without alerting those who could retaliate or impact a career. It had been placed in the House’s version of the fiscal 2021 Defense Policy bill, but was removed during final deliberations.
“Our service members make sacrifices that we can never forget. It is our obligation to ensure that adequate resources are devoted to taking care of them, our veterans and their families,” Gillibrand said.
In addition to mental health stigmas, the senator is also pushing for changes to mental health laws that would allow a soldier to heal, and not have to worry about permanent fallout.
“If you seek mental health services, for some individuals, it might mean they can’t actually do their job. They won’t be allowed to be deployed and they won’t be allowed to be in the military. For our veterans, it might mean that you cannot own a gun. There is a lot of impact when seeking mental health services,” Gillibrand said.
She said nearly half of the nation’s military members have had suicidal ideations, while 60% knew a post-9/11 veteran who took his or her own life.
It is believed that the three deaths were related to personal matters and/or relationship issues, according to 10th Mountain Division officials.
Gillibrand believes the military needs to do more in those situations. She is taking her concerns to the U.S. Department of Defense, writing a letter asking what it is doing to help soldiers dealing with personal issues.
