Not alone: Fort Sill summit strengthens connections before crisis

FORT SILL, Okla. — Sometimes the first step toward getting help is simply finding a reason to start talking.

USO volunteer Linda Lettau has watched that happen with Molly, her certified therapy dog. Soldiers who initially say little will begin petting Molly, asking questions and, eventually, talking.

“I’ve sat with Soldiers, and they’re basically almost nonverbal when we start,” Lettau said. “We’ll talk, and they’ll start asking questions about the dog and start talking.”

That kind of connection, through a battle buddy, family member, leader, chaplain, counselor, volunteer or even a four-legged visitor, was at the heart of Fort Sill’s Suicide Prevention and Holistic Health and Fitness Summit Sept. 24.

The Army Substance Abuse Program hosted the summit with brigade H2F leads and organizations from across the installation. The event drew 285 attendees for classes, resources and conversations aimed not only at responding when someone is in crisis, but also at strengthening the factors that help people cope before they reach that point.

For Fort Sill, there are encouraging signs.

Tiffany Denard, an ASAP specialist, said Fort Sill has gone more than a year without a death by suicide and that suicide attempts have been trending downward. Soldiers continue to report suicidal thoughts, she said, but their willingness to speak up creates an opportunity for others to intervene and connect them with care.

“We have the ability to step in and support and provide the care and resources the individuals need,” Denard said.

The goal is to reach people even earlier.

Denard said there is rarely a single warning sign or cause behind someone reaching a crisis. Suicide prevention also means strengthening the relationships, habits and resources that help people manage stress and adversity.

“Protective factors are not just individual traits, but they are deeply social,” she said.

That idea helped bring suicide prevention and H2F together for the summit.

The Army’s H2F approach focuses on five readiness domains, physical, mental, spiritual, nutrition and sleep, recognizing that each can affect a Soldier’s overall well-being and ability to perform.

Sleep is one example. Denard said sleep problems affect about half of Fort Sill Soldiers, leaving many without the recovery they need to manage stress effectively. Three summit classes focused on sleep quality and routines that can help Soldiers recover and reset.

For Sgt. 1st Class Mumbi Williams, representing the Fort Sill SHARP Resource Center, the event also reinforced the connection between personal wellness and readiness.

Williams said learning about the organizations represented at the summit helped her consider ways to improve her own wellness so she can remain mission ready and better serve others in the Fort Sill community.

She also saw value in simply learning what is available.

Williams said Soldiers may be familiar with some resources but unaware of others, and she encouraged them to take what they learned back to their units and share it.

That matters because help does not have to begin in one particular office.

Fort Sill’s support network includes ASAP, the Employee Assistance Program, chaplains, Military and Family Life Counselors, behavioral health professionals and numerous other organizations. Because many services are confidential, Denard said there is no simple way to count everyone receiving assistance across the installation.

What matters, she said, is having multiple ways for people to find support.

Denard identified proactive leadership, community-wide accountability and integrated referral networks as central to Fort Sill’s prevention efforts. Soldiers also receive Ask, Care, Escort Suicide Intervention training, or ACE-SI, while ENGAGE Bystander Intervention Training is designed to address concerns such as stress, harmful behavior or harassment before situations worsen.

For Soldiers, the summit also offered an opportunity to think about how they respond to the pressures that come with Army life.

Pfc. Tagiilima Simeamativa Lefiti, a 13B cannon crewmember with the 428th Field Artillery Brigade, said the physical demands of her job made the summit’s nutrition and fitness information personally relevant.

But another session made her think differently about the pressure Soldiers can place on themselves when they struggle to meet a standard.

Instead of interpreting an area that needs improvement as something she cannot do, Lefiti said the session encouraged her to reframe the challenge and recognize that she does not have to solve it alone.

“I know I can do it,” Lefiti said. “I just need a team.”

That message extended beyond Soldiers.

Family member Amani Potter initially attended the summit for required training but stayed after discovering how much information and how many resources were available.

For Potter, one of the strongest lessons was the importance of sharing what someone is experiencing instead of withdrawing from others.

“When you’re isolated, it just attacks your mind,” Potter said.

The summit’s “Wall of Reasons to Stay” reinforced that message. Participants were invited to reflect on the people, relationships and other things that give their lives meaning.

Potter said people interact every day without necessarily knowing what someone else may be going through. His takeaway was to be genuine, consider others and remember that even a simple act of kindness can matter.

Lettau sees that connection in a different way with Molly.

She said Soldiers who have been separated from home during training sometimes tell her they have not seen their pets in months. Some become emotional while spending a few minutes petting Molly.

“They just love on her, and they’ll get teary-eyed,” Lettau said. “It really does have an impact.”

Lettau is quick to give Molly the credit.

“I just tell people Molly does the work, and I’m just legally somebody has to hold the leash,” she said.

The humor carries a larger point: Support can come from many places, and someone who is struggling does not have to know exactly which resource to call before asking for help.

Denard said anyone concerned about a Soldier, co-worker, friend or family member can begin with the same framework Soldiers learn through ACE: Ask, Care, Escort.

Check in. Listen. Show that the person matters. Then help connect that individual with the resource appropriate for the situation.

That might be a leader, chaplain, EAP professional, Military and Family Life Counselor, behavioral health provider, emergency department or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

No one person is expected to diagnose the problem or have every answer.

Soldiers, family members, Army civilians and leaders who want more information about Fort Sill ASAP or the Suicide Prevention Program can call 520-725-7337.

For Soldiers and leaders, that may be one of the summit’s most important messages: Strength is not measured by how much someone can carry alone. Sometimes readiness means recognizing when another person needs support, knowing where help is available and staying alongside them long enough to reach it.

And sometimes it means being willing to say what Lefiti did:

“I just need a team.”

HELP IS AVAILABLE: If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org. Help is confidential and free.

For more information about the Fort Sill Army Substance Abuse Program and Suicide Prevention Program, call 520-725-7337.

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