Suicide Prevention Month

Suicide Prevention Month

by | Oct 10, 2020 | Announcements, Events, Featured

 

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and we want to raise awareness on how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from this complex and tragic health issue.

In 2007 the VA established The Veterans Crisis Line, it is a free, confidential, 24-hour hotline for Veterans and their families/friends. Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans Crisis line has answered more than 1.25 million calls and made more than 39,000 lifesaving rescues. To reach someone right away you can dial a number and speak with someone, send a text, or just as easily start an online chat.

A recent report found that those receiving care from the VA had a 16 % decrease in suicide. Learning and watching for signs of concerning behavior can help you and your loved ones get help!

Some signs of concerning behavior include:

  • Hopelessness, feeling like there is no way out
  • Anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness, or mood swings
  • Feeling like there is no reason to live
  • Rage or anger
  • Engaging in risky activities without thinking
  • Increasing alcohol or drug use
  • Withdrawing from family and friends

If you notice any signs of concerning behavior here are some things you can do:

  • Start a conversation: Mention the signs that prompted you to talk to them. Stay calm and let the person know you want to help them. Don’t leave the person alone.
  • Listen, express concern and reassure the individual: Let the person know you care and that you take the situation seriously. Letting the person know you care will go a long way in establishing a support system.
  • Create a safety plan: Ask the person if they have access to anything that could harm them and call for help if you feel the situation is dangerous.
  • Get the individual help: Provide resources for the individual. Call the Veteran’s crisis line at 1(800)-273-8255.  Or if you feel the situation is severe, take the individual to the closest emergency room or call for help.

Individuals experiencing such thoughts and behavior can make simple yet effective lifestyle changes to help alleviate these harmful thoughts and behavior.  These can include getting exercise, taking time off of work, and spending time with friends and family to avoid isolation. Ultimately, anyone at risk or feeling uneasy should talk to their health care provider.

Take A Self-Check Quiz Now
Ruckup.org Launch by American Soldiers Network

Ruckup.org Launch by American Soldiers Network

Feb 24, 2018 | ,

The American Soldier Network developed  RuckUp, a website that will serve as an indispensable resource for veterans and their families in the fight against Veteran/Soldier Suicide. The site will remind our veterans that they never need to suffer alone, a hub for our...

Help Launch our “I Choose To Live” Oath Challenge

Help Launch our “I Choose To Live” Oath Challenge

Jun 16, 2017 | ,

WE NEED YOU! What: Help Launch our "I Choose To Live" Oath Challenge When: Saturday June 17,2017 How: Upload a video on your social media of you taking the "I Choose to Live" Oath Challenge your fellow veterans & military to do the same, tag lnstagram...

Team Harwell BMX Racing for ASN

Team Harwell BMX Racing for ASN

Jun 1, 2017 | ,

ASN is honored to have father son duo Doug and Tucker Harwell racing BMX in Texas for American Soldier Network. Doug, a Navy Veteran and Tucker who started his racing career at age 3 who is now 4 proudly ride the ASN logo! Thank You Team Harwell, Team Striker and all...

12th Annual Christmas SWAG Bags Event

12th Annual Christmas SWAG Bags Event

by | Jan 1, 2019 | Events, Featured

American Soldier Network would like to thank all of our donors and volunteers who made this our 12th annual Christmas SWAG Bags for our combat wounded ill and injured active duty military possible!

We delivered over 250 bags filled with goods to our heroes this Christmas at the Naval Hospital of San Diego and to the Wounded Warrior Battalion West on Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base. Joining us this year were

  • Tito Ortiz, Champion fighter
  • Actor, Model and Actress Amber Nicole Miller
  • Actor David James Elliott
  • Designer, Actor and owner of Bands 4 Arms Nick Mendoza III
  • Former Green Beret now Hotelier, Author and Personality Larry Broughton
  • Gold Star Mother Laura Ostrom
  • and a special thanks to our Sandbox Santa!

Truly a special day had by all. Our ASN Volunteers Trai Yadon, Annie Nelson, Carol Nelson and Junior Rodriguez helped deliver the bags as well.

Ruckup.org Launch by American Soldiers Network

Ruckup.org Launch by American Soldiers Network

by | Feb 24, 2018 | Events, Featured

The American Soldier Network developed  RuckUp, a website that will serve as an indispensable resource for veterans and their families in the fight against Veteran/Soldier Suicide. The site will remind our veterans that they never need to suffer alone, a hub for our soldiers to build connections. Build communities. Build hope.
RuckUp highlights:

The Foxhole

Vets/Military can connect with in a secure ID verified space, partnered with ID.me, vets can connect safely and securly with each other through a forum system, where they can find buddies, meet new friends, and pass on info (so no soldier is left behind!). Unlike Social Media where nothing is private, secure nor veteran verified.

Aid-Station RESOURCES 

Vets and their family members can search trusted support and treatment providers to find help that’s available nearby. Vetted and approved resources will include facilities that treat PTS, TBI, CTS, depression, addiction, and provide alternative treatments in suicide prevention. (Hope outside the VA)

Take the Oath

Here, vets can ‘Take the Oath’ (I Choose to Live) and share on social media. (We have had 17 saves that we know of to date since launching the Oath last summer)

Caregivers Corner

Family members and people providing care for vets can read articles, find resources, and refer family members/friends to get help through the site.
Let’s RuckUp, and work together to bring honor, gratitude, and compassion to the men and women of our military.
here are some # hashtags for you
Hashtags:
#RuckUp
#TakeTheOath
#IChooseToLive
#ASNOath
#VetsAgainstSuicide
#VetsAgainstAddiction
#VetsAgainstHomlessness
#VetsHelpingVets
#HelpVeterans
#NoSoldierLeftBehind
#AmericanSoldierNetwork
#ASN
#WeDoThisTogether
#SaveOurHeroes

 

Help Launch our “I Choose To Live” Oath Challenge

Help Launch our “I Choose To Live” Oath Challenge

by | Jun 16, 2017 | Events, Featured

WE NEED YOU!

What: Help Launch our “I Choose To Live” Oath Challenge

When: Saturday June 17,2017

How:

Upload a video on your social media of you taking the “I Choose to Live” Oath Challenge your fellow veterans & military to do the same, tag lnstagram @AmericanSoldierNetwork Facebook /AmericanSoldierNetwork Twitter@forRtroops #lchooseTOLive #WeDOThisTogether #OathChallenge

Why: To ACTIVELY help take the first step in SAVING LIVES

ASN will launch their National “I Choose to Live” Oath Challenge to help prevent veteran/military suicides and start to LIVE and choose to LIVE not focus on our battles but on our blessings and reasons to stay alive. We believe this is so much more than a# or a statistic. It is about individual lives and brains. PTS, TBI, Demons and life experiences are all dramatically individual and impact EVERYONE differently. There is NO one size fits all cure, treatment or way of help. There are many but there MUST be a FIRST step.

Like in the 12 step programs that have been immensely successful throughout the world for decades we fully believe brain health and the fight for a healthy life worth living starts with that first step, the “I Choose to Live” Oath. Our military members start their careers with the Oath to serve the nation, they must take that same oath when they reenlist and they NEVER forget that oath long after their days in the service are over, so in that same vein we have created a lifelong Oath for our veterans/military community.

This will be the first step in healing and healthy living. A lifelong Oath to live, to admit they are not alone and that they will choose 10 key principals for a life worth living and will be accountable to their battle buddies. This oath has been placed on pocket cards to always be with them, with the veteran crisis line on the back so at any given moment there is always a resource available.

We will launch the Oath challenge at Freedom Fest Colorado on Saturday June 17, 2017 where we will ask all vets in attendance to take the oath, then to post a video message taking the oath and upload it to their social media challenging their fellow vets to do the same and so on. Spreading like wildfire. Veterans/Military can contact ASN to receive their own oath cards via mail and even obtain extras so when they are around others in need they can have them take the oath right then and there give them the card and carry it forward. Taking that first step.

Every great journey begins with that first step and we are praying this gets those struggling and those who have been fighting some dark demons to take that first step. We DO This Together! We are in the process of recreating a portal for our website that will (we hope – in the near future) incorporate many of the treatment programs across the country that are out there, many of which do not have the marketing budgets, big PR dollars and savvy to get to the masses. We all need to collaborate and work together to reach our military/veteran community.

It all starts with that FIRST step! I choose to LIVE! #####

I Choose to LIVE Oath Card