Coast Guardsman’s death prompts mental health conversations at Base Kodiak

A U.S. Coast Guard rescue chopper lands connected a runway earlier it parks adjacent an Air Station Kodiak hangar. (Brian Venua/KMXT)

The decease of a Kodiak-based U.S. Coast Guardsman this summertime has sparked a caller activity of conversations astir intelligence wellness connected nan base.

U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak held a ceremonial connected July 26 to grant nan life and work of a rescue swimmer who died connected June 25.

The Coast Guard said nan investigation into nan work member’s decease is ongoing, but nary foul play is suspected. It did nevertheless renew a push for addressing intelligence wellness successful nan military.

Coast Guard officials declined to opportunity whether nan decease was a suicide. But a social-media group for Coast Guardsmen described it arsenic one, urging comrades to “find thing that keeps you going.”

Cameron Snell, a nationalist affairs master for nan Coast Guard, said Air Station Kodiak officials person been unfastened astir encouraging members to usage intelligence wellness services.

“The aerial position had a stand-down to pass everybody moving location astir what had happened, and they instantly offered condolences (and) nonaccomplishment counseling for those work members, besides for nan work members successful nan barracks,” he said.

A stand-down intends operations were paused for aerial position unit to meet.

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Suicide rates are higher wrong nan military, and successful response, intelligence wellness programs for work members have been connected nan rise in caller years. Now that includes pushes from nan Coast Guard’s Air Station and Base Kodiak, arsenic good arsenic ships that are homeported connected nan land too.

Snell said officials person been encouraging group to usage CISM, aliases nan Coast Guard’s Critical Incident Stress Management program.

The extremity is to service members who person faced perchance traumatic experiences, for illustration erstwhile a adjacent dies aliases aft stressful hunt and rescue missions. He said it’s not a cleanable system, but those kinds of resources are important.

“Suicide is simply a troubling statistic successful nan military,” Snell said. “And we tin ne'er wholly destruct that statistic, but we tin connection arsenic galore resources arsenic we tin to forestall that astatine each measurement of nan way.”

The guidelines besides provides different resources to pain stress, for illustration borrowing boats aliases different outdoor instrumentality from its Morale, Wellness, and Recreation Department. Snell said nan Work/Life Office besides provides members services for illustration financial guidance aliases thief uncovering kid care.

Members of nan Coast Guard person mandatory intelligence wellness screenings arsenic portion of their yearly wellness assessments and are encouraged to study their peers if they person immoderate concerns. Snell said commanding officers tin besides mention members they’re concerned astir to counseling.

“(This) incident was a calamity – 1 being 1 excessively galore present – and we dream to beryllium capable to make nan resources that we person disposable known,” Snell said.

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Mental wellness emergencies connected aliases disconnected guidelines should beryllium reported by calling 911.

Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center and nan Kodiak Area Native Association some connection intelligence wellness counseling successful town, but waitlists tin return months. Providence psychiatrists tin beryllium seen overmuch sooner though, and emergency services are ever available.

The nationalist termination and situation lifeline is disposable by calling aliases texting 988. The Veterans Crisis Line is disposable by dialing 1 during a 988 telephone aliases by sending a matter connection to 838255. Online chats are besides disposable at 988lifeline.org.

The Coast Guard besides has plans to beforehand intelligence wellness services successful September for National Suicide Prevention Month.

Alaska Public Media’s Chris Klint contributed accusation to this story.