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Photo Information

Marines Raiders and their families shared a meal before suicide awareness training at Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command at Stone Bay aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 22, 2015.

Photo by Sgt Donovan Lee

Marine Raiders enhance family resiliency, conducts suicide awareness training

29 Oct 2015 | Sgt. Donovan Lee Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command

Marine Raiders and their families gathered for suicide awareness training at Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command at Stone Bay aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 22, 2015.

The Marine Raiders and their families attended a Tier I session designed to provide a series of practical tools for suicide awareness, prevention and intervention, enhancing MARSOC’s family resiliency program.

“This program is normally offered to service members and civilian staff members of MARSOC,” said Lt. Cmdr. David Duprey, the Marine Raider Support Group chaplain. However, MARSOC extended the Tier I training to all the spouses and older adolescents of MARSOC’s personnel.

MARSOC has adopted a three Tier suicide prevention training program. Tier I is a one-hour session on suicide awareness, Tier II is a three-hour session that gives more in-depth training on awareness and prevention, and Tier III is a 14-hour world renowned program called ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training). 

“ASIST is the gold standard of intervention training around the world, and is used extensively throughout all of the armed forces,” said Duprey.

Prior to the training, Marine Raiders and their families gathered together to share a meal. During the training, participants discussed and viewed different methods to detect signs of potential suicide as well as how to help the individual at risk or get the individual the help he or she needs.

“My hope is that as people attend, they will find their antenna fine-tuned to truly hear when a friend, buddy, family member or even a stranger is in need, and then be willing to step in and stand in the gap on their behalf to assist on the spot and to get them to a place of safety,” said Navy Capt. Kimberly Moses, the MARSOC force chaplain.

MARSOC has taken a holistic approach to addressing any potential strains or pressures placed on Marines, sailors and their families. Suicide awareness, prevention and intervention are a top priority for MARSOC in order to maintain and improve readiness, operational effectiveness and the immediate and long-term well-being of the force and their families.

For more information on suicide prevention contact your unit’s suicide prevention officer, your unit’s chaplain or call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255.