So I’m not sure if this discussion is allowed here; if it is not, please delete 👍

But today, our entire base (and this is AF-wide over a period of time) has stood down to get into small groups and discuss suicide and how we can actually be there for each other individually and as squadrons units to stop suicide. And also discussing the AF’s current counseling outlets and if those are good enough— or what exactly needs to change. ANYTHING was open for discussion, if you had something to say.

But something that I could not find today, why is it that SO MANY military personnel commit/attempt suicide? This is also common amongst doctors and veterinarians. What is it about the military that drives this? Is it the long hours in a crappy environment? Is that IT? There is something that unites all HIGH STRESS jobs with suicide, BUT we tend to also see suicide happen when relational things go wrong— which isn’t limited to the military and doctors, yet we still do it at alarming rates.

What do you guys think? What makes the military or any other demanding job so heavy in suicide? Because it seems to me like the job is MUCH of our lives yet is only a small reason for the complex issue.

— Thanks ❤️