Sailors Unite for Suicide Prevention

MILLIGNTON, Tenn (NNS) -- The Navy rolled out a new Suicide Prevention poster series Dec. 2 that encourages Sailors in distress to reach out for help and encourages shipmates to look out for each other.

"Sailors helped design the posters and determined what the messages would be," said Lt. Cmdr. Bonnie Chavez, Behavioral Health Program manager for the Navy. "They were passionate on how to best help each other and represent the sense of community in the Navy."

The series consists of four posters that will become available through normal supply channels starting in December. The themes of the posters range from, "How many Sailors does it take to save a life? Just one." to "Got Big Problems" showing a group of Sailors working together, demonstrating that suicide prevention is an all hands evolution.

Recognizing the signs that a shipmate is in crisis is the first step and then taking the appropriate action is how anyone can save a life.

"If people remember to ACT, Ask, Care, Treat," said Chavez, "They will be on the right path. Don't be afraid to ask someone if they are thinking of taking their own life. Care enough to let the person know that suicidal feelings are temporary and that depression can be treated and then get help. Treat – take them to an emergency room or walk in clinic, don't leave them alone, take action, remove means, such as guns, stockpiled pills, ropes, and sharp objects," said Chavez.

Most people give some warning of their suicidal intentions to a friend or family member. Take all suicide threats seriously. To find out more information and to see a list of the warning signs go to www.suicide.navy.mil.

For more news from Navy Personnel Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/npc/.