Photo By Staff Sgt. Kaden Pitt | Spc. Jackson Wilson, a joint fire support specialist assigned to the 1st Battalion,...... read more read more
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This story includes mention of an attempted suicide.
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – If you asked the average person what they were doing on Oct. 15, 2024, at 8:37 a.m., they likely wouldn’t know. That time is too specific and innocuous for most to have any strong connection to it, but for Spc. Jackson Wilson, it was a moment that has defined his life going forward. On the early fall morning, Wilson would attempt to take his own life, and had no one stepped in, he would have succeeded.
“I felt like I had no control over it at that point,” said Wilson, a joint fire support specialist assigned to the 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “It was like I was floating outside of my body. My mind had already determined I was going to kill myself. Now I can look at it and see all the stressors, but a mental health crisis is genuinely not in your control.”
Those stressors were both old and new. From the unresolved feelings surrounding the death of a family member, to relationship issues, and even his recent arrival to Fort Campbell. Each experience contributed to his attempt on his own life. Wilson did have, however, a mitigating factor which prevented the worst outcome--his friends.
“We had went out to eat and he just left without eating anything so you could just tell something funny was going on,” said Pfc. Tanner Clowdus, a scout observer assigned to 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101 ABN DIV (AA). ”When I caught up to him, he was crying and yelling then he tried to jump into the street. That was when I grabbed him and said ‘we’re gonna take you to the hospital.’”
That was all it took, noticing something was wrong and taking the step to make sure a friend was alright. What he did may seem small but the impact it had on Wilson was great.
“They saved my life,” said Wilson. “I can see the world a lot better now and I feel like I can see what people are going through more. That’s why I want to be so big on suicide prevention. It’s the only death that I think is 100% preventable.”
One way Wilson looks to prevent future suicides is by being there for Soldiers who he often doesn’t know.
“I go and have lunch with random people about twice a week,” said Wilson. “I just sit down as a specialist and talk to them because it’s really just little things; it means way more to people than you’d think.”
While individual action stands as a key pillar of Wilson’s efforts, he acknowledges it is not nearly enough.
“I’m just a specialist so there’s only so much that I can do,” said Wilson. “That’s why I’m so lucky to have a great command and to be here in the 101st because they do care, and they do take suicide prevention seriously. Without them I’d still be doing my own thing, but I would just be another number.”
Getting in front of leaders who want to be proactive in preventing suicides stands as another layer of Wilson’s advocacy. Soon he would be given that opportunity after receiving a call asking him to attend an Ask, Care, Escort- Suicide Intervention Tier 2 training.
“Spc. Wilson was put on my radar from another chaplain who told me his story and let me know that he was trying to do whatever he could to prevent suicides,” said Capt. Shaun Hembree, chaplain for 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2 MBCT. “As it happened, we had a class training non-commissioned officers on suicide prevention the next day. Since we had that on the books, I gave him a call and asked if he wanted to come and tell his story. He was there the next morning to talk with them.”
The training Wilson spoke at represents a continuation of the comprehensive ACE-SI course. The first tier of the course provides Soldiers with the tools to take initiative in suicide prevention. The leaders who complete the follow-on program are not only expected to be knowledgeable, but they will also be able to teach the classes themselves.
“The real value added of having Spc. Wilson come was getting these senior non-commissioned officers to see someone who might not have been here if not for intervention,” said Hembree. “It shows that this isn’t just some other training or slideshow. This is a real person’s life and through your actions it’s a life that could be saved.”
For Soldiers who want to take an active role in suicide prevention, Wilson has an easy solution.
“Just go to your command and tell them ‘I want to be involved in suicide prevention,’” said Wilson. “That’s exactly what I did. I was tired of seeing the numbers go up. It’s not that it’s an honorable thing to do, it’s that it’s the right thing to do.”
The right thing from Clowdus’ perspective is often instinctual.
“Follow your gut,” said Clowdus. “It doesn’t hurt, if you feel like something is off, to ask if they're ok. It’s not soft to let them know you care.”
Wilson had a more direct call to his fellow suicide attempt survivors.
“Don’t feel ashamed and don’t feel guilty but also don’t not get involved,” said Wilson. “You know what it’s like. You’ve been in their shoes. You don’t have to be as active as me but you have to try and be involved.”
As this story is an attribution of friendship, advocacy and resilience it’s important to note the role
of the chaplain to provide Wilson with an opportunity to help others through his testimony. Beyond the ACE-SI training, chaplains have training resources and opportunities available to echelons as well.
“We provide a spiritual readiness training called Eagle Mindset that is statistically proven to protect Soldiers from suicidality and other harmful behaviors, Chaplain (Cpt.) Andy Schmitz, 1-320th FA, 2MBCT, "I encourage Soldiers and leaders at echelon to engage this training and imitate the actions of Clowdus and Shirley; the two demonstrated true love for their battle buddy and intervened to save Spc. Wilson’s life.” –
If you or someone you know needs help, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis
Lifeline at 988 and press 1 for the Military Crisis Line.
Local assistance is available at the Fort Cambell Suicide Prevention Program
Training resources:
Suicide Prevention Training and Education
For Ready and Resilient (R2) training opportunities contact your local R2 Performance center or
visit https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/ard/R2/R2-Performance-center.html
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2025 15:38 |
| Story ID: | 493484 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Life Saved, a Mission Begun: A Soldier’s Journey in Suicide Prevention, by SSG Kaden Pitt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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