Photo By Garrett Dipuma | Maj. Andrew Arrington, brigade chaplain for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st...... read more read more
ILLESHEIM, Germany – Suicide is one of the top causes of service member death amongst the armed forces of the U.S. The leadership of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is making it a priority to ensure that their Soldiers know what resources are available to them to help them when their life looks bleak.
The 101st is forward deployed to Europe during a year of seemingly endless natural disasters, a global pandemic that has affected every aspect of life and an especially politically divisive year, away from their families and friends. The Wings of Destiny leadership wants their Soldiers to know that they are here to support them through tough times, and that their promise is more than just lip service.
The 101st CAB’s brigade chaplain, Maj. Andrew Arrington, and his team are one of the first-line resources available to Soldiers when they need help bearing their burdens.
“I like to think of us as similar to combat medics when it comes to helping Soldiers with life’s complex issues,” said Arrington. “Chaplains and enlisted religious affairs specialists are trained to listen to Soldiers and perform a sort of triage to make sure Soldiers get access to the care they need, when they need it.”
A little-known fact about seeking counsel from military religious teams is that they have the strictest confidentiality in the military regulations when they meet with Soldiers. Other services are bound by a duty to report if they think somebody becomes a threat to themselves or others. Chaplains are only allowed to seek advice on situations they discuss with Soldiers from their direct chaplain supervisors.
This means chaplains and religious affairs advisors cannot speak to the chain of command or anyone else about conversations they have with a Soldier. Arrington said this strict regulation is in place so that there is a safe place to talk about any issues or thoughts without fear of their conversation triggering command or legal action.
“I really want Soldiers to know that they can go to any chaplain or 56M [religious affairs specialist] for a sanity check or to review different courses of action they are considering, or just share whatever it is that’s burdening them in a safe place,” he said. “One thing that we know is that holding in stressors or being ashamed of something isolates, and sharing liberates. That is why Soldiers have the right of 100% confidentiality with the chaplain corps.”
There is another pro that talking to chaplains can provide; “We are familiar with the stressors of being in the military, right here, right now,” said Arrington. “We are Wings of Destiny Soldiers, just like you. We understand what it is like to wear the uniform and make sacrifices in service to our nation. Also, we are aware of the different support programs and personnel available to assist Soldiers. Therefore, we can empathize with the challenges our Soldiers face day-to-day and help them get the assistance they need. are able to emphasize on a deeper level with some of the minutiae of our specific day-to-day
There is a pervasive myth within the military that seeking behavioral health treatment is seen as a sign of weakness that will detrimentally affect service members’ careers. In Arrington’s personal experience, this is not the case.
“I had a few things in my life about three years ago that had the potential to seriously affect my career,” he said. “My father and three-year-old niece died within 10 days of each other, and that was a time of great personal and emotional difficulty for me. That series of events really shook me to the core of my being.”
The chaplain realized he needed help to cope with the grief he experienced, so he sought resources to help him through the rough patch in his life. He said it was difficult at times to go through the processes to get the help he wanted (a specific civilian provider referral), but when an obstacle presented itself, he talked with his leadership, who stepped in and pushed to make sure he was taken care of.
“We need to get away from hiding our struggles and get comfortable with talking to our leaders,” said Arrington. “This requires trust. Both leaders and peers have to figure out how to develop that trust.”
Destiny Shepherd said that if he hadn’t sought help for his issues, his career and life would have taken a different turn. “It was too much for me to handle alone. My career is definitely better because I sought the support I needed. Not asking for help when you need it is a much bigger threat to your career.”
If a Soldier feels uncomfortable talking to their direct leadership about serious life issues but does want to make their problems known higher up the chain of command, the chaplain is a unique resource to do this.
“As part of the brigade staff, and as an advisor to the brigade commander, I have a direct link to every level of leadership in the 101st CAB,” said Arrington. “Due to our strict confidentiality rules, a Soldier would have to sign some paperwork empowering me to talk to anyone about what wediscussed, but there are ways we can address the issue with leadership if the Soldier prefers that course of action.”
Arrington stressed he would only recommend this route for serious issues or emergencies that need a high level of intervention. He said he and his staff are also happy to schedule a meeting with battalion or brigade leaders.
The CAB chaplain, a minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, said that any Soldier can talk to chaplains or religious affairs specialists, regardless of religious beliefs, without fear of judgment. As a Christian minister, his faith guides how he interacts with Soldiers and family members.
“The chaplain corps provides Soldiers a unique opportunity to discuss their life issues through the lenses of faith, religion and spirituality,” said Arrington. “This is an opportunity not available from other professional support services within the military.”
Outside of the chaplain corps, there are several resources available to Soldiers. The 101st’s behavioral health officer, Capt. Anthony Fatzinger, is based out of Storck Barracks in Illesheim, Germany, during this rotation. His office can be reached at (314) 467-4348. Other resources can be found by talking to chaplains, religious affairs specialists or by going to the nearest troop medical clinic to request an appointment with behavioral health services.
If you suspect someone is thinking about suicide, ask directly. Actively listen and try to understand their situation and escort them to an appropriate emergency resource.
Additional information and resources for Soldiers and civilians can be found online at www.preventsuicide.army.mil.
Please follow 101st CAB, Wings of Destiny on Facebook and official101cab on Instagram to stay up to date with our latest updates, photos and videos!
| Date Taken: | 09.27.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 09.27.2020 11:04 |
| Story ID: | 378776 |
| Location: | ILLESHEIM, DE |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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