Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWS
  • Your Career
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • ENTREPRENEUR
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • TRANSITION
  • Health
    Guardsmen share personal perspective on vaccine distribution

    Guardsmen share personal perspective on vaccine distribution

    How to turn fitness resolutions into reality

    How to turn fitness resolutions into reality

    Arkansas spouse helps veterans fight addiction

    Arkansas spouse helps veterans fight addiction

    Sailor credits mindset, support with helping her fight cancer

    Sailor credits mindset, support with helping her fight cancer

  • Money
    Quick guide: 2020 tax filing resources for the military

    Quick guide: 2020 tax filing resources for the military

    This Army veteran has a new approach to wealth management

    This Army veteran has a new approach to wealth management

    Army Emergency Relief looks to convert $1 million into grants for soldiers

    Army Emergency Relief looks to convert $1 million into grants for soldiers

    Pandemic affects home buying process for military families

    Pandemic affects home buying process for military families

  • Travel
    Universal Orlando offers first-ever Military Freedom Pass

    Universal Orlando offers first-ever Military Freedom Pass

    Gronski reflects on ride of his life

    Gronski reflects on ride of his life

    Take leave. Use these exclusive military discounts. Repeat.

    Take leave. Use these exclusive military discounts. Repeat.

    Moving Benefits for Service Members

    Moving Benefits for Service Members

  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
  • RESOURCES
    • EDUCATION GUIDE
  • About us
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
  • NEWS
  • Your Career
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • ENTREPRENEUR
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • TRANSITION
  • Health
    Guardsmen share personal perspective on vaccine distribution

    Guardsmen share personal perspective on vaccine distribution

    How to turn fitness resolutions into reality

    How to turn fitness resolutions into reality

    Arkansas spouse helps veterans fight addiction

    Arkansas spouse helps veterans fight addiction

    Sailor credits mindset, support with helping her fight cancer

    Sailor credits mindset, support with helping her fight cancer

  • Money
    Quick guide: 2020 tax filing resources for the military

    Quick guide: 2020 tax filing resources for the military

    This Army veteran has a new approach to wealth management

    This Army veteran has a new approach to wealth management

    Army Emergency Relief looks to convert $1 million into grants for soldiers

    Army Emergency Relief looks to convert $1 million into grants for soldiers

    Pandemic affects home buying process for military families

    Pandemic affects home buying process for military families

  • Travel
    Universal Orlando offers first-ever Military Freedom Pass

    Universal Orlando offers first-ever Military Freedom Pass

    Gronski reflects on ride of his life

    Gronski reflects on ride of his life

    Take leave. Use these exclusive military discounts. Repeat.

    Take leave. Use these exclusive military discounts. Repeat.

    Moving Benefits for Service Members

    Moving Benefits for Service Members

  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
  • RESOURCES
    • EDUCATION GUIDE
  • About us
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard
No Result
View All Result

New suicide prevention efforts led by second lady

Bianca Strzalkowski
by Bianca Strzalkowski
August 31, 2020
New suicide prevention efforts led by second lady

Mrs. Pence hosted key leaders of the PREVENTS public health campaign at the Vice President’s Residence. Photo by Amy Rossetti.

Second lady Karen Pence is deploying a familiar tactic to learn about veteran suicide: listening.  

Mrs. Pence was appointed lead ambassador earlier this year for a new nationwide strategy to raise awareness about mental health, connect veterans to federal and local resources and facilitate research about suicide. PREVENTS (President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide) is a three-year plan stemming from President Trump’s signing of an executive order last year directing the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Health and Human Services and others to develop a comprehensive strategy for addressing suicide. The order was signed as data reveals 132 Americans, including 20 service members, former never federally activated guard and reserve members, and veterans, die on average each day by suicide, according to a VA press release.  

Mrs. Pence hosted key leaders of the PREVENTS public health campaign at the Vice President’s Residence. Photo by Amy Rossetti.

Taking the lead on military-related initiatives is nothing new for Mrs. Pence, a Marine mom. At the onset of her role as second lady, she outlined priorities to focus on military families — including the spouse employment issue — and to promote the benefits of art therapy for healing. Her office has spent the last few years traveling the globe to hold listening sessions as part of a larger effort to understand challenges associated with military life and work with partners on solutions. She says that experience led to her appointment with PREVENTS.   

“I think the reason that the president asked me to be the lead ambassador for PREVENTS is because of my work with art therapy and vets. And it was an honor for me to be asked to be part of that, because one thing I have learned is that suicide is preventable and so for me I thought, if there’s something I can do to elevate this, I definitely want to do it,” Mrs. Pence said.   

She convened task force members, including Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, Executive Director of PREVENTS, earlier this year to gauge next steps.   

“I felt like, again, just like I felt with the military spouses, I don’t come in here and act like I know everything about preventing suicide — I don’t know anything. And so what I did was, I hosted a meeting inviting as many people on that task force as could attend, to come to the Vice President Residence — it was right before all of the COVID hit — we went around the table, we spent a long time with everybody explaining what they saw their role as and what some of the things they were proposing were,” she said.   

Her team also works with ambassadors to leverage their social media and influence to spread the word about how to prevent suicide, Mrs. Pence says, along with health care providers on devising the right messaging.   

“We’re taking our cues from PREVENTS, we’re taking our cues from experts,” she said. 

Second Lady  Karen  Pence  crosses the finish line with Terry Sharpe, the “Walking Marine,” on the South Lawn driveway of the White House this summer, as he completes his walk from North Carolina to Washington D.C. to raise awareness of veteran suicides. Photo by Shealah Craighead.

Other grassroots activities include meeting with military and veteran community members, like Terry Sharpe, a Vietnam veteran known as “The Walking Marine.” He walked from Stokesdale, North Carolina to Washington D.C. to bring awareness to veteran suicide prevention. The 69-year-old walks 300 miles annually. Learn more about his cause at https://www.walkingmarine.com.   

The PREVENTS Task Force has already connected with more than 150 known community boards, 27 statewide suicide prevention teams and Building Healthy Military Communities — a pilot initiative with seven partnering states.   

If you or someone you know need support, contact the Military Crisis Line by calling 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 or visit https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/military-crisis-line.  

Read comments
Tags: active duty militaryDr. Barbara Van DahlenMental HealthMilitary Crisis LineMrs. Karen PenceNational GuardPresident Donald TrumpPREVENTSReservesSecond LadyThe Walking Marineveteran suicide awarenessVeterans
Bianca Strzalkowski

Bianca Strzalkowski

Bianca Strzalkowski has more than 10 years of experience in storytelling. Her portfolio includes interviews with former Secretary of Defense Gen. James Mattis, Air Force Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown, “Shark Tank” CEO Daymond John, and countless elected and military leaders. Bianca holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and journalism. She resides near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, where she serves as the public affairs officer for Maryland ESGR and is a member of the Military Reporters & Editors Association.

Related Posts

Fingers pointed, officials questioned on Guard’s response to Capitol riots

by Military.com
Feb-24-2021
0
Fingers pointed, officials questioned on Guard’s response to Capitol riots

What delayed the National Guard in offering support at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6? Some security officials are blaming...

Read more

Military training aids entrepreneurs in business success

by Stephen Ruiz
Feb-17-2021
0
Military training aids entrepreneurs in business success

Small business owners credit military experience with success in private sector.

Read more

Guardsmen share personal perspective on vaccine distribution

by Military.com
Feb-17-2021
0
Guardsmen share personal perspective on vaccine distribution

Members on the front lines discuss a different kind of mission. Find out what it's like protecting civilians from COVID-19.

Read more

Super Bowl LV flyover to be ‘whole other level’

by Stephen Ruiz
Feb-06-2021
0
Super Bowl LV flyover to be ‘whole other level’

Three different Air Force Global Strike Command bombers will conduct a first-of-its-kind trifecta flyover of Super Bowl LV.

Read more

Idaho Guard halts flight operations after Black Hawk crash in bad weather kills 3

by Military.com
Feb-04-2021
0
Idaho Guard halts flight operations after Black Hawk crash in bad weather kills 3

Flight ops have been suspended following a Tuesday night crash that killed three pilots.

Read more

Army National Guard campaign seeks ‘the next greatest generation’

by Stephen Ruiz
Jan-31-2021
0
Army National Guard campaign seeks ‘the next greatest generation’

The Army National Guard campaign targets Gen Z, generally defined as people born between 1997 and the early to mid-2010s.

Read more

Ads

Connect with other Reserve Members

Military News, delivered to your inbox

Get weekly news updates, unsubscribe anytime.

Reserve & National Guard

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Contact us
  • Advertising
  • Digital Magazines
© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • Your Career
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • ENTREPRENEUR
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • TRANSITION
  • Health
  • Money
  • Travel
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
  • RESOURCES
    • EDUCATION GUIDE
  • About us
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • CONTACT

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW