Soldier
Photo by: U.S. Army/Spc. David N. Beckstrom
Tue, 04/05/2022 - 06:50
The Army’s chief medical officer said he is “actively and aggressively” tackling the suicide rate among soldiers with a range of programs and initiatives aimed at eliminating the stigma of asking for help.
Lt. Gen. R. Scott Dingle, the 45th surgeon general of the Army, said in testimony before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense that programs have been implemented at the strategic, operational and tactical levels with the message that “it is OK” to seek professional help.
“Across the board and across the United States Army, one of the things that we’re trying to get across is … to remove the stigma so that our soldiers will, in fact, seek behavioral mental health, that it is OK,” Dingle said during the March 29 hearing.
He put forth examples such as the Victory Wellness Program established about 18 months ago in the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas, in which soldiers take part in monthly training events and activities designed to build strength, trust and cohesion.
https://www.ausa.org/news/army-actively-trying-shed-stigma-seeking-help
