As staff members filed into Naval Hospital Bremerton’s Ross Auditorium for an annual training requirement, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Robert Lee O’Bryant was positioned near the entrance, acknowledging many a young Sailor.
His stock in trade that morning can be described as corpsman candor, helping to address the uncomfortable subject of suicide awareness in his role as a [Navy] Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training petty officer.
For O’Bryant, a Louisville, Kentucky native, it all starts with open communication.
Most Sailors know his voice, which routinely resonates with others in an exchange of dialogue throughout the day. But that’s just a minor part of the communication process.
“Listen, listen, listen. Observe and listen some more,” stressed O’Bryant. “Sailors will tell you if they’re not doing okay. We just need to listen. Developing that buy in, making sure people know they are a part of the team, is huge. We’re not a conglomerate of people who simply work together. The bonds we forge go up and down the chain of command.”
The Suicide Prevention Program Annual Training at NHB, led by Chief Yeoman Andrew Turner, is a requirement which prioritizes incorporating violence prevention strategies to establish a culture of safety and prevent suicide in Navy communities.
Turner spoke directly to those in attendance. His talk was not just data points and compiled statistics. He shared a heartfelt – and impactful - personal experience about another staff member at an earlier overseas command who took their own life with a firearm.
Audience members were asked who owns a firearm. For every hand raised, Turner, O’Bryant and HM1 Lee Halls handed out a gunlock.
“A shout out to Chief Turner. His training was the most engaging and informative suicide prevention general military training I have attended in my Navy career. He was excellent,” stated Lt. Cmdr. Sakshi Sharma, Mental Health department psychologist.
“Death by firearm is the largest category of suicides. Therefore, educating and encouraging weapon safety with Sailors who have access to lethal means is critical,” O’Bryant said, who also added that peer-to-peer communication plays a vital role in helping someone deal with a stressful situation.
“We can never forget what makes our Navy so special. Our people,” remarked O’Bryant.
“If we don’t know what makes our peers and Sailor’s tick, how can we ever know the clock is broken?” continued O’Bryant. “For leaders, intrusive leadership isn’t knowing everything, but it is knowing enough to know when something is off. If I know enough to ask the pointed questions, I cannot fail my fellow Sailor in a critical hour. As far as peers, we see each other constantly on a different basis. Being willing to seek help is a sign of strength. Reporting that someone might need help is also a sign of character.”
“Peer-to-peer involvement is crucial because we are only with our patients for an hour a week or every other week. But their peers - and leaders - are around them the majority of working hours, can detect changes and warning signs early, and get Sailors to help before it’s too late,” added Sharma.
O’Bryant affirms that whether in a group or one-on-one, talking about suicide comes with a number of challenges.
“It’s uncomfortable. It forces people to be direct. Asking someone “Are you thinking of killing yourself?” or “Are you thinking of suicide?” is not an easy ask,” admits O’Bryant. “It takes bravery. But if it was an easy question, no one would have a problem asking it.”
There are also perceived stigmas to refute.
“Some have a preconceived bias against suicide. We can teach with PowerPoints until we are blue in the face. But until someone like YNC Turner tells an actual story they experienced, [some] Sailors will just gloss over training. It’s about understanding the problem and understanding our Sailors,” said O’Bryant.
Any suicide is one too many. Although it’s a somber topic to address, O’Bryant realizes that there might be that one Sailor who needed to be reached.
“When you see a Sailor comprehend what you’re teaching and they’ve bought in, that’s a aha moment for them. They understand we are here to help. They understand that in all the darkness, there is a light, and furthermore, they now know who they can talk to,” exclaimed O’Bryant, also indicating it’s gratifying when a staff member goes out their way to thank him for the training.
“There is no better feeling. Something you said or did because you actually care about the program sticks with people,” O’Bryant said. “I feel the best when a Sailor stops me in the hallway and says the training gave them the knowledge they needed to help a friend or themselves.”
Unfortunately, there are times when warning signs are not easily visible.
A short video clip shown by Turner during the Suicide Prevention Program Annual Training dramatically made that apparent. Two spectators sitting next to each other are taking in a ball game. One exuberant. The other cheerless. Yet at the next contest, it was the somber fan in his place. The seat next to him was empty.
O’Bryant’s goal is to ensure that never happens.
“The reason I exist as a first class petty officer is to nurture the ones who will one day take my spot,” shared O’Bryant.
The Department of Defense recognizes September as Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month through its campaign, “Joining Your Fight: Connect to Protect.”
For anyone having a mental health crisis, please call 988 for the Military and Veteran Crisis Line, press 1 or text 838255 or chat with a live counselor. For Spanish, press 2. Civilians can also call 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Line.
Story originally posted on DVIDS:
Connecting, Caring, Communicating during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month at NHB