I’ve seen the effects of suicide twice since joining the Air Force.
I’d been in for almost two years, and a young Airman who lived down the hallway from me in the dorm hanged himself. My second brush with suicide happened recently. I hadn’t met him, but we lived in the same apartment complex.
Why did these two Airmen feel they had no other choice?
Though I didn’t know either of the young Airmen, I shed tears in both cases. It was partly because it hurts to lose a family member, but mainly because I’ve also felt suicidal in my life.
I was 15 and my best friend in the entire world died — my dad. All I could think about was being with him again, and saying the things I never got the chance to say.
My mom knew what I wanted to do and said something to me that shook my world. She told me my dad would be mad and wouldn’t want to see me if I did that, and I had no right to put her and the rest of my family through that. It took years for me to realize she was right.
Shortly after I joined the military, I married. The relationship rapidly deteriorated into abuse and divorce, and had a major impact on me. I was a wreck physically, mentally and financially. I couldn’t concentrate on work. I couldn’t pay my bills because of the debts incurred. I felt I was no good to myself or to the Air Force, and I wanted out.
Thanks to a warm-hearted supervisor, a caring doctor, a chaplain, a counselor and the Air Force Aid Society, I was nursed back to health and shown that I did have a place in the Air Force.
During two very hard times in my life, I had two different families on which to rely, two families who will do anything to keep me a part of theirs.
The rough times will pass. But please don’t feel like you have to tackle them by yourself.
Call a friend, your supervisor, your first sergeant, a chaplain or Life Skills. Call someone. Take it from someone who’s been there, suicide isn’t the answer. Family is.
(Ramstein Life Skills clinic is available at 479-2390, 06371-46-2390 or Landstuhl Regional Medical Center emergency room at 06371-86-8160.)
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News for the Ramstein, Kaiserslautern, Landstuhl & Baumholder military communities in Germany 
I’ve seen the effects of suicide twice since joining the Air Force.
I’d been in for almost two years, and a young Airman who lived down the hallway from me in the dorm hanged himself. My second brush with suicide happened recently. I hadn’t met him, but we lived in the same apartment complex.
Why did these two Airmen feel they had no other choice?
Though I didn’t know either of the young Airmen, I shed tears in both cases. It was partly because it hurts to lose a family member, but mainly because I’ve also felt suicidal in my life.
I was 15 and my best friend in the entire world died — my dad. All I could think about was being with him again, and saying the things I never got the chance to say.
My mom knew what I wanted to do and said something to me that shook my world. She told me my dad would be mad and wouldn’t want to see me if I did that, and I had no right to put her and the rest of my family through that. It took years for me to realize she was right.
Shortly after I joined the military, I married. The relationship rapidly deteriorated into abuse and divorce, and had a major impact on me. I was a wreck physically, mentally and financially. I couldn’t concentrate on work. I couldn’t pay my bills because of the debts incurred. I felt I was no good to myself or to the Air Force, and I wanted out.
Thanks to a warm-hearted supervisor, a caring doctor, a chaplain, a counselor and the Air Force Aid Society, I was nursed back to health and shown that I did have a place in the Air Force.
During two very hard times in my life, I had two different families on which to rely, two families who will do anything to keep me a part of theirs.
The rough times will pass. But please don’t feel like you have to tackle them by yourself.
Call a friend, your supervisor, your first sergeant, a chaplain or Life Skills. Call someone. Take it from someone who’s been there, suicide isn’t the answer. Family is.
(Ramstein Life Skills clinic is available at 479-2390, 06371-46-2390 or Landstuhl Regional Medical Center emergency room at 06371-86-8160.)