Arizona National Guard engaging clergy to help prevent suicides

In keeping with the political season, "I'm Chaplain Kathie and I approve this message" because it is one of the best things they can do! It works.

National Guard engaging clergy to help prevent service member, veteran suicide

Thursday, Feb. 16
By TARRYN MENTO
Cronkite News

Arizona's service members and veterans:
• 14,000 active and inactive National Guard and Reserve members.

• 20,000 active-duty service members.

• 600,000 military veterans, with a high population of Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans.

Sources: Arizona Coalition of Military Families, Arizona Department of Veterans Services, Department of Defense.

PHOENIX – Louise Wilson began worrying about a member of her church while volunteering with him at Phoenix Veterans Affairs Hospital. A veteran himself, the man seemed to compulsively arrange shampoo bottles they were distributing.

She knew he suffered from post–traumatic stress disorder and asked if he was still taking his medication. He told her he wasn’t.

After the man stopped volunteering and, later, stopped going to church, Wilson decided to alert VA staff members, who intervened.

“This man went to church every time the doors were open,” she said.

Military leaders in Arizona say faith–based communities often are in a better position to spot service members facing problems including stress, mental health problems and the potential for suicide.

“I see faith as a way that people can find healing in terms of maybe some of the situations and crises either as service members or as veterans from previous generations,” said Col. Elmon Krupnik, state chaplain for the Arizona National Guard.

That idea is behind a new effort that has the Arizona National Guard teaming with clergy and church members to help identify service members and veterans in crisis and build relationships that help connect them with services.
read more here

Christ didn't just sit in a building waiting for people to come to Him. He went out to where they were. His disciples didn't hang around waiting for someone to show up either.

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

There are not enough members of the clergy understanding where these men and women have been. There is a great need for religious people with a combat background to get involved and help reach these men and women.

For the folks out there screaming about Separation of Church and State, let's put it this way. The "state" sent them to fight this nation's battles and they return to the states they were willing to die for. The least we can do is help them live after combat.

This is about men and women coming back to their communities as veterans but also as civilians and it is up to their communities to do what the government isn't doing.