“One Community One Family”
Posted on Nov 18, 2016 in All IPCS NewsBy Gina Toomalatai
September is “National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month”, a time for people to take a hand and make a stand, as they speak in one voice every life matters, and no one is alone. This is exactly what Hawaii’s Armed Forces did as the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, and Marines came together on September 7th, to sign the Joint Services Proclamation against suicide.
It was the idea that all service members are family, and that we should remember to “Fight for Each Other”, as this year’s series of talks was so powerfully titled. This was a clear display of how we can confront this problem as a team, not as ‘I’, but ‘Us’, and not as ‘Me’, but ‘We’, one community, one family. By banding together in one accord it sends out a positive message of hope, which complimented this year’s National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month’s theme of “Connect. Communicate. Care.”
The Proclamation was not only signed by representatives from all five of Hawaii’s armed forces, but it was also signed by Governor David Ige, and Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who showed their support by standing together in agreement with Hawaii’s men and women in uniform. The highlight of the month’s events was a series of talks that were held at military theaters across the island, and featured talks from people like Retired Col. Robert Swanson, who is a suicide survivor.
For more information on how you can help or get involved in upcoming events, you can check the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website, or call the Schofield Barracks Suicide Prevention Program at 808-655-9105.