If you have identified an airman that may be considering suicide, it’s important to ASK your Wingman directly about what’s going on. This will help you determine what needs to be done next. Ask about issues early rather than waiting for things to escalate to the point of crisis. Take all comments about suicide seriously. Be an active listener and let your Wingman tell you about their challenges. Although it can be awkward, it’s important to ask the tough questions about whether or not your Wingman is thinking about harming or killing himself. If the answer is yes, or if you even suspect that the answer is yes, don’t leave the person alone.

CARE for your Wingman by calmly listening and expressing concern. Don’t be judgmental or promise secrecy. If your Wingman is having thoughts of suicide, you need to act. Remove anything they could use to hurt themselves and immediately seek help.

The final step is to ESCORT your Wingman immediately to the nearest emergency room, Mental Health Clinic, chaplain, or primary care clinic, and contact the supervisor or chain of command. If a distressed Airman refuses help or you're not sure what to do, call your supervisor or 911 for help. Never leave an Airman who is having thoughts of suicide alone, even to go to the bathroom.   

What do you need to know to effectively raise awareness about suicide prevention?

• Daily connections can make a big impact on someone’s feeling of loneliness.
• No special training is needed to show genuine concern for someone in crisis.
• Suicide prevention is very much a leadership issue, which means leaders should create climates in which Service Members are encouraged to seek the help they need.
• When members of the military get behavioral health care, they are protected against discrimination by law.
• There are important signs of suicide risk that can be identified: Hopelessness, Anxiety, Self-destructive behavior (for example, alcohol and drug abuse, as well as talking about death)
  

If you or someone you know exhibits any of the signs of emotional distress below, call your Director of Psychological Health today:

• Inability to eat, sleep or concentrate
• Negative outlook or depression
• Thoughts or attempts of self-harm
• Irritability, inability to control anger
• Impulsive behavior
• Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
• Fearfulness, nervousness or anxiety
• Hypersensitivity to perceived threats, unexplained suspicion or fear
• Feeling emotionally numb or detached
• Inexplicable sadness
• Flashbacks to traumatic event
• Confusion or disorientation
• Resistance to engaging in everyday activities
• Extreme mood swings
• Loss of work ethic or social functionality
• Poor self-care
  

The MTF Locater is a convenient tool that you can use to locate the Military Treatment Facility nearest to you by searching on a map, by zip code, or geographic region.