DCoE Exhibits at Pentagon Suicide Prevention Health Fair

By Jayne Davis, DCoE Strategic Communications

Holley Slabaugh, DCoE Strategic Communications, speaks with service members outside the Pentagon yesterday at a suicide prevention health fair. (Defense Department photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley)

A warm, relaxing sun and light breeze belied the serious subject matter carefully displayed on tabletops and posters in the Pentagon courtyard yesterday during the “Health Fair in Observance of National Suicide Prevention.”

The Department of the Army Suicide Prevention Program Task Force hosted the health fair, which brought together military and non-military organizations engaged in promoting health, reducing risk and suicide prevention. Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) and Real Warriors Campaign, a DCoE initiative, were among the exhibitors.

Other exhibitors included: Army National Guard; Yellow Ribbon Program; Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors; American Association of Suicidology; Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Crisis Line (800-273-TALK); Office of the Pentagon Chaplain; U.S. Army Survivor Outreach Services; and the Connect Project – a training program in suicide prevention and response.

“The range of exhibitors at this health fair demonstrates growth in how the Army observes suicide prevention, which encompasses a comprehensive, holistic view of building resilience in its service members,” said Jan Morgan, program management analyst, Army Suicide Prevention Program, and an organizer of the health fair. “It’s important to leverage all of the resources out there to promote healthy minds and bodies.”

By holding the health fair in the Pentagon courtyard, organizers hoped that military leaders in the Pentagon not familiar with the range of resources available to promote comprehensive resilience would take note and pass what they learned down the chain of command where there’s greater opportunity to directly affect individual behavior.

They also counted on drawing the attention of service members in the building and the transient nature of their jobs to help spread awareness of resources to near and distant locales.

George Lamb, DCoE acting outreach and dissemination division chief and social work consultant, observed that the presence of DCoE staff both provided the opportunity to educate visitors unfamiliar with the organization, and reinforce its work with others. “I spoke with a service member with the Army G-1 office who recognized DCoE and was glad we were here to provide reintegration resources,” said Lamb. “I also spoke to an Army senior chaplain about the quarterly chaplain working group DCoE hosts.” For more information about the group, contact megan.jakub.ctr@tma.osd.mil.

Army Capt. Edwin Aycock, National Guard representative for the Army’s Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention Task Force was also happy DCoE attended the health fair.

“We are pleased that DCoE is exhibiting today because they do great work moving knowledge and resources into the communities that need them,” said Aycock. “DCoE and Real Warriors Campaign bring a high level of expertise in psychological health promotion and with it they raise awareness and contribute to the goal of a more resilient military.”

For more information and resources about suicide prevention, visit the DCoE website at http://www.dcoe.health.mil/SuicidePreventionWarriors.aspx. Also, visit the DCoE Blog throughout the month for a few special blog series related to the topic of suicide at http://www.dcoe.health.mil/blog/Default.aspx?id=1