{"id":25421,"date":"2019-08-01T23:32:20","date_gmt":"2019-08-01T23:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/08\/01\/with-deaths-by-suicide-rising-air-force-orders-resiliency-stand-down\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:46:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:46:12","slug":"with-deaths-by-suicide-rising-air-force-orders-resiliency-stand-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2019\/08\/01\/with-deaths-by-suicide-rising-air-force-orders-resiliency-stand-down\/","title":{"rendered":"With deaths by suicide rising, Air Force orders resiliency stand-down"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth Wright announces a one-day stand down to discuss resiliency and suicide prevention.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

After an alarming increase in suicide rates in the Air Force in 2019, Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein has ordered all wings to stand down for a day and focus on resiliency and suicide prevention<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a video posted online Thursday, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth Wright said 78 airmen have taken their own lives so far in 2019. That\u2019s 28 more than had died by suicide<\/a> at the same point in 2018, Wright said, and if the trend continues, the Air Force could lose 150 to 160 airmen that way this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur teammates are taking their own lives,\u201d Wright said in the video. \u201cWe lose more airmen to suicide<\/a> than any other single enemy \u2014 even more than combat. That\u2019s 78 teammates, that\u2019s 78 wingmen, that\u2019s 78 spouses, that\u2019s 78 brothers and sisters and sons and daughters. Seventy-eight, who couldn\u2019t find a single reason to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a letter sent to all commanders Thursday morning, Goldfein said wings have until Sept. 15 to hold their \u201cresilience tactical pause,\u201d during which they will set aside a full day of their choosing to figure out what needs to be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the video, Wright said the pause will be a \u201cbreak in the daily grind\u201d so units can focus on airmen and their well-being. It won\u2019t be a \u201cone-day effort to check a box,\u201d Wright said, but will begin a longer-term dialogue between airmen, command teams, agencies dedicated to helping airmen and families, and the rest of the Air Force.<\/p>\n\n\n\t