Marine Sgt. Stephen Barbour, a radio operator with the 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, speaks to fellow enlisted leaders about suicide prevention at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa — About 100 hand-picked sergeants and staff sergeants from across the III Marine Expeditionary Force gathered Wednesday on this Marine Corps base to talk suicide prevention.
The III MEF Professional Leaders Seminar — the first of its kind on Okinawa — brought junior enlisted leaders together for guest speakers, case studies, resiliency training and panel discussions. The Marine Corps Association, which sponsored the event, has organized similar conferences at other bases.
“The purpose is to keep the conversation going and to get Marine leaders to look at the problem from a different perspective,” Marta Sullivan, association director of engagement and outreach, said during the event.
Suicide is a major concern in the U.S. military, where 332 active-duty service members took their own lives in 2022, up from 328 the previous year, according to the Defense Suicide Prevention Office.
Of the 63 Marines who died by suicide in 2022, seven were from III MEF, its senior enlisted leader, Sgt. Maj. Joy Kitashima, said during the conference.
The 94 active-duty suicides between January and April of this year are the most in the first quarter since 92 in 2019, according to the prevention office. The first quarter of 2022 saw 75 military suicides.
Enlisted leaders from across the III Marine Expeditionary Force discuss ways to prevent suicide during a seminar at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
After breakfast speeches from Kitashima and retired Lt. Gen. Charles Chiarotti¸ a former deputy commandant and association president and CEO, Marines in small groups heard the story of a high-performing gunnery sergeant from the perspective of his leadership, peers, friends and family. The Marines were asked to identify red flags after they learned the gunnery sergeant had been found dead.
“He’s finding every reason to dive himself into his own work, so he doesn’t see the problems in his own life,” said Sgt. Stephen Barbour, a radio operator with the 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company. “That is an extremely unhealthy habit.”
Staff Sgt. Kate Mazzone, a communications technician with Marine Air Control Squadron 4, said a Marine in crisis came to her recently, afraid to seek counseling or therapy out of fear of being “labeled.” She found success by being both approachable and empathetic.
“It’s important for these conversations to be had and that we address the root of the problem,” said Mazzone, who hoped the conference would contribute to eroding the “stigma” of reporting or asking for help.
Just before lunch, the Marines learned how to avoid common “thinking traps” that can trigger a mental health crisis, like jumping to conclusions about a partner or spouse if they are unavailable by phone or assuming a distracted child is angry during a video chat.
Their leaders hope the Marines go back to their units and support their commands by advising or speaking on the topic, Kitashima said.
We want them to ask, “how can I get this individual, who may or may not be struggling, to see that whatever they’re going through, it will get better?” she said.
