by Paul J. Ellis
As a Brigade Command Sergeant Major (CSM), I experienced the devastating loss of five Soldiers to suicide over a 30-month period. One moment, in particular, stands out. The Brigade Commander and I were heading to the chapel to conduct a memorial for a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) who had tragically lost his life while doing what he loved: leading a training exercise. He was hit by a civilian car, a heartbreaking accident that left our brigade reeling. As we approached the chapel, my Commander received a call that another one of our Soldiers attending the Basic Leader Course (BLC) had just committed suicide. The Soldier belonged to the same company as the NCO we were memorializing.
Each loss felt like a blow not just to our Brigade but to my soul. Each loss left a feeling of deep sorrow, confusion, and weighty responsibility. In those moments, the weight of our losses felt unbearable. Yet, I had to maintain my composure for the formation and the Command Team, even as the grief and confusion threatened to overwhelm me. These experiences have driven me to reflect deeply on the Army’s current approach to suicide prevention, and I’ve come to realize that it is inadequate for addressing the complex challenges our Soldiers face today.
The Army’s existing suicide prevention model, while well-intentioned, is outdated. It fails to account for the modern stressors that drive suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In conversations with junior Soldiers and societal observations, suicide seems to be more accepted, almost as a rite of passage, compared to when I was a Private stationed at Fort Liberty in the early 2000s. We’re living in an era where the lack of genuine human connectivity, coupled with the pervasive influence of social media and digital devices, is driving up suicide rates. For instance, research has shown that adolescents who spend significant time on social media experience higher levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation due to social comparison and feelings of isolation. I remember a time when, on any given Friday, there would be a cookout of some sort in the quad of our barracks, coupled with an assortment of games. Today leaders often lack the life skills and tools needed to support their Soldiers, leaving their Soldiers feeling blamed and alone when tragedies occur. We need a modern solution, one that not only addresses these issues but also empowers leaders and Soldiers alike to prevent tragedies from happening.
The Outdated Model
The Army’s current suicide prevention strategies include resilience training, access to behavioral health resources, and leadership engagement. However, these efforts, rooted in methods developed decades ago, fall short against modern-day challenges, such as social media, the erosion of real-life connections, and the immense pressures of modern society where everything can be publicized. Furthermore, the model is largely reactive, focusing on intervention after warning signs appear, rather than proactively preserving life.
One of the most significant limitations of the current model is the tendency to inadvertently blame leaders when suicides occur. As a senior leader who has lost Soldiers to suicide, I can attest to the overwhelming feeling of guilt and the heavy burden of responsibility that is placed on our shoulders. Afterwards, leaders are often left to grapple with the “Why?” without a modern-day solution to provide answers or prevent future tragedies. This self-blame culture does nothing to prevent suicides and only serves to isolate the leader or those who are already struggling.
Modern-Day Challenges and Their Impact
The landscape of mental health and suicide prevention has changed dramatically in recent years. Reflecting on my time as a Private stationed at Fort Liberty, I can’t recall losing my peers to suicide. However, today’s Soldiers face new pressures from technological advances and social media, which can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and isolation. Studies show that social media often amplifies social comparison and isolation, contributing to increased anxiety and depression, particularly in younger Soldiers. Additionally, research highlights how excessive social media use displaces meaningful in-person interactions, further contributing to feelings of isolation in today’s Soldiers.
Adding to this complexity is the expectation placed on young sergeants to effectively communicate with their junior Soldiers who may be displaying signs of behavioral health challenges or may have had a suicide attempt. These young leaders, often still developing their own leadership skills, are thrust into situations where they must recognize warning signs and engage in deeply emotional conversations. Without sufficient training or experience, many of these sergeants feel overwhelmed and ill-equipped to handle such sensitive situations.
Moreover, some Soldiers enter the Army with pre-existing mental health conditions, further complicating the leadership challenges. A 2022 Defense Health Agency report found that 17.6% of active duty service members were diagnosed with psychological conditions, many pre-existing their service. The Army’s current suicide prevention model does not adequately address these modern complexities. Leaders today must navigate a landscape where traditional methods may not resonate with Soldiers who are heavily influenced by online culture. To support their Soldiers, today’s leaders need more than just traditional military training, they require enhanced emotional intelligence, communication skills, and tools tailored to address the evolving challenges of a connected world.
Introducing the VALOR Program
In response to these challenges, Major Susan Borchardt spearheaded the development of the Values Added Leadership Origins Revitalized (VALOR) Program. The VALOR program was designed specifically to equip young sergeants with tools to address the complex challenges their Soldiers face in today’s environment. Recognizing that these junior leaders are often on the front lines of Soldier care, the program focused on increasing their self-awareness, enhancing their leadership capabilities, and providing them with a strong foundation rooted in Army values and ethics.
Implemented within our Brigade, the VALOR Program included six to eight introspective psychoeducational sessions tailored to meet the specific needs of different units or groups, which included: character building, ethical decision-making, self-awareness, and personal development. Through these sessions, young Sergeants were encouraged to identify their strengths and weaknesses, learn proactive stress management techniques, and develop the skills needed to engage effectively with Soldiers who are displaying signs of behavioral health challenges. By transitioning these values and skills into actionable leadership strategies, the VALOR Program aimed to significantly increase Soldier and unit readiness.
For example, in our Brigade, the VALOR Program identified that Sergeants lacked skills in character building, ethical decision-making, self-awareness, and personal development. The program put our Sergeants through a three-day classroom course led by behavioral health specialists, a chaplain, family advocacy representatives, and a military family life consultant. The sessions focused on inner awareness, values, strengthening connections, and refining ambitions. Through discussions on managing stress and self-reflection, Sergeants learned to better communicate with and support their Soldiers, while proactively addressing personal and professional challenges before they escalated. Overall, the VALOR program improved their communication, guidance, and ability to identify stressors.
The success of the VALOR Program, which empowers young sergeants to support their Soldiers, highlights the potential of innovative, leader-driven initiatives to make a real difference in preventing suicide and fostering resilience within the ranks.
Rebranding to Preservation of Life
The VALOR Program revealed a significant need to shift the Army’s approach to mental health and well-being. Positive feedback from Sergeants and a decrease in ideations over the course of a year demonstrated the effectiveness of proactive mental health training. These results showed that by equipping Soldiers with tools for self-awareness and resilience, crises can be prevented before they escalate. In light of these findings, rebranding the Army’s approach from ‘suicide prevention’ to ‘Preservation of Life’ is essential. This name change reflects a shift from reacting to warning signs to prioritizing life, building resilience, and empowering leaders to support their Soldiers proactively.
The Preservation of Life approach would integrate the principles of the VALOR Program into Army-wide training and leadership development, reinforcing and expanding upon key aspects of the Master Resilience Training (MRT) program. While MRT focuses on building resilience at an individual level, the VALOR Program complements this by equipping leaders with the tools they need to support their Soldiers more effectively, particularly in navigating modern challenges. Together, these programs emphasize the importance of self-care, resilience, and proactive leadership. This integrated approach would also include modern solutions like conducting psychological autopsies, as discussed by Craig J. Bryan in his book Rethinking Suicide, to understand the root causes of suicides and expanding telehealth options to make mental health care more accessible from the comfort of the Soldier’s environment.
A crucial component of this rebranding strategy is establishing a single, dedicated entity responsible for all aspects of the Preservation of Life program. Now under the G9, the suicide prevention program previously lacked full accountability, leading to fragmented efforts. The Army is still recovering from that gap. By designating an agency with the authority and resources to oversee the program, the Army can ensure that all initiatives are coordinated, effective, and focused on the well-being of our Soldiers. This entity would not only manage the implementation of Preservation of Life training but also be tasked with continuously evaluating and improving the program based on feedback and evolving challenges. Holding one agency accountable will be essential in making this rebranding successful and ensuring that the Army truly prioritizes the preservation of life.
Supporting Leaders and Their Formations
For the Preservation of Life approach to be successful, we must provide leaders with the tools and resources they need to identify and mitigate suicidal behavior. Programs like VALOR should be expanded across the Army to ensure that all leaders are equipped to care for their Soldiers effectively. Additionally, we must establish better support systems for leaders who have experienced a suicide in their unit, including counseling, leadership resiliency programs, and guidance on managing the unit’s response to such tragedies.
To enhance leaders’ skills, the Army should integrate and expand existing resources like the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program, which provides practical techniques for engaging Soldiers in crisis. By incorporating ASIST more widely into leader development, we can ensure that leaders are prepared to recognize and act on signs of suicidal ideation. Behavioral Health Officers and embedded behavioral health teams should also take on a more proactive role, regularly engaging with leaders to offer tailored consultations and mental health briefings.
Moreover, the Army should expand the Master Resilience Training (MRT) program at the squad level, ensuring that more leaders within these critical formations are trained in resilience-building techniques. This expansion, combined with the proactive involvement of Behavioral Health Officers and embedded behavioral health teams, would make mental health resources more accessible and relevant at the level where leaders have the most direct and frequent contact with Soldiers. Together, these efforts would better equip leaders to support their Soldiers in managing stress, addressing behavioral health challenges, and fostering a culture of resilience.
Conclusion
The Army has made strides in addressing suicide, but more must be done to adapt to the evolving challenges faced by today’s Soldiers and leaders. By shifting to a Preservation of Life approach, addressing the outdated model and modern day challenges, introducing programs like VALOR, rebranding to “Preservation of Life,” and supporting leaders and their formations, we can build on our existing strengths to create a more effective and responsive system. The lives of our Soldiers are precious, and it is our duty to continue improving our efforts to protect them, not just from external threats, but from the internal battles they face every day.
As someone who has experienced the profound loss of Soldiers to suicide, I am committed to advocating for these changes. By addressing the root causes and modern challenges of suicide, we can better protect our Soldiers and ensure that they have the support they need to thrive.
Sergeant Major Paul J. Ellis is a Transportation Senior Sergeant (88Z) currently serving as the G-3/5/7 Sergeant Major for the Combined Arms Support Command at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. He previously served as the Brigade Command Sergeant Major for the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary and Battalion Command Sergeant Major for the 330th Transportation Battalion (MC). A native of St. Catherine, Jamaica, he migrated to the United States in 1998 and joined the Army in 1999. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, Class 67, and holds a Master of Arts degree from Webster University.
