The Waterline
August 2, 2012
Vol. XXIX No.31
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NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION
Suicide Awareness: Preventing a permanent solution to a temporary problem Benjamin Christensen, NDW Waterline Writer
U.S. Navy illustration
It may be a cliché, but it is always darkest before the dawn. As a force that relies completely on the ability to be absolutely ready at all times, mental health and suicide awareness and prevention is extremely important and the Navy and its Sailors must be able to discuss the topic freely and openly. For those with issues of depression or other mental health concerns, it is important to remember that it truly does get better. According to Department of Defense reports, nearly one suicide occurs each day in the armed forces. A staggering statistic, it leads one to ask simply: why? According to Naval District Washington (NDW) Regional Chaplain, Captain Gary Clore, there is a multitude of pressures that service members face that the public cannot begin to comprehend. "There are a lot of reasons why suicide can be a problem in the military because of all the stresses of our lifestyle," said Clore. "The op-
erational tempo we maintain, the constant deployments, the demands of our duty… they all can contribute to the problem in someone who is vulnerable." Clore also mentioned the fiscal pressures on military members in today's economy and family matters coming into play, especially with one who is out on deployment. Being away from home can certainly exacerbate matters, as the service member is not home to help with their family's concerns. Sometimes these stresses can simply become too much, and without help, it can be a dangerous situation. It's clear that these stresses are not just going to go away, with the nature of being a combat force, so what can be done to stem the tide of suicidality? Just watching out for one's shipmates and being able to spot when someone is struggling can be the difference between life and death. Also, simply being able to talk about the issue is key. "What we're trying to do is reduce the stigma [around mental health issues], … just because someone is having stress in their life,
that's the nature of life," said Clore. "Mental health awareness is an opportunity to enhance people with help and understanding that can make a difference." Situational awareness is a virtue espoused by the military, and that includes being able to see when someone is in trouble. According to Clore, being "sensitive to what's going on in someone else's life and understanding who they are and what they may be dealing with" can work wonders and is what good shipmates do. Certainly not everyone can be trained to be a psychologist or a counselor, but everyone can be a friend. Besides one's shipmates, there is a multitude of resources available to Sailors who may need some help. Although it may seem obvious, if someone or someone they know is imminently considering harming themselves or others, they should contact emergency services immediately (on the Washington Navy Yard: 433-3333; off-installation dial 911). In the meantime, remember the ACT pneu-
See Suicide, Page 7
Workforce shaping to provide structure for future Benjamin Christensen, NDW Waterline writer It is no secret that budget constraints are driving change throughout the Department of Defense. Change is coming for the Navy, and as budgets tighten and the need for efficiency becomes increasingly apparent, Naval DistrictWashington (NDW) is being proactive in its approach to reshaping the workforce to be leaner and more efficient. Workforce shaping is the term that is being used to describe the variety of changes that are going to be made in the layout of the civilian workforce for NDW. With changing times and an uncertain economic footing of late, government agencies, including the Department of the Navy, are being asked to reevaluate their needs to complete their missions and reshape their workforce accordingly.
"The number one driver of this initiative is to shape our organization to be as effective as we can possibly be," saidThomas McGuire, Regional Executive Director for NDW. "A secondary but very important consideration is that we have a number of lean years of funding coming up in the government, so we need to make sure that the resources we have get allocated to where they're most effective." The planned methods for reshaping NDW’s workforce revolve around strategies of becoming leaner through regular attrition; these methods include retirements, reassignments and resignations through Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) and offering of Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP). According to McGuire, while the economic pressure being put on the government as of recent years is certainly an im-
See Future, Page 5
U.S. Navy photo by Benjamin Christensen
Personnel assigned to the Washington Navy Yard trickle in to work. NDW is taking proactive measures to manage its workforce ensuring it is the right size with the right positions and correct skill sets. The future workforce will be leaner and much more efficient than it is today.
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Around the Yard, Page 2
AFPAK Blog, Page 6