CNO Washington released NAVADMIN 263/14 the message Outlines new DoD policy on “voluntarily relinquish a privately-owned firearm” for mental health purposes in an attempt to reduce suicides and harm to others. This program is voluntary but is there precedence to believe it could lead to mandatory relinquishing of firearms?
Since I’ve joined the navy Suicide has always been a hot topic. It is estimated that a military member committed suicide every 17 hours in 2013 and 23 veterans take their own life daily so it is a big issue. Suicide is something that is not only an enlisted problem it runs all the way up the chain of command, just 20 years ago the CNO ADM Boorda took his own life. So it is a real issue that has plagued the military for longer than any of us can remember. But what should we do about it?
The NAVADMIN has some good points “Suicide prevention is an all hands effort all the time.” and “Losing one Sailor to suicide is one Sailor too many.” I think is a no brainier BUT do we really need another suicide program? An article on defenceone.com talks about the military having 900+ suicide prevention programs. That is more programs then we have for money management, sexual health and alcohol awareness combined Yet the rate of suicides in 2012 was 25 in every 100,000 much higher then the national average at 12 per 100,000 were the rate of substance abuse was 3.9 percent, compared with 17.2 percent among civilians.
The NAVADMIN states that “more than 50 percent of active-duty Navy suicides are carried out with privately-owned firearms. Research clearly indicates that reducing access to lethal means saves lives.” Later on the NAVADMIN states the law was modified, now “commanding officers and health professionals may inquire about, collect and record information about a service member’s privately-owned firearms” The DoD will implement a “Voluntary measures to reduce access to privately-owned firearms” now don’t get all upset this is only for sailor “reasonably believed to be at risk” but I do have a few questions about this;
1. If reducing access to firearms will decrease suicide rates because it is the leading method for among males (Statistics on suicide) then shouldn’t there be a program like this for pills and possible poisons, since that is the leading method of suicide among females is poisoning?
2. If someone wants to take their life wont they just use another available method?
3. Is “reasonably believed to be at risk” PO2 Bobbet just missed PO1 by 1 points and seems down or is it PO Steve told Chaps he is stressed and thinks he won’t make it?
As you read on the message continues to assure you that “the DoD does not prohibit the lawful acquisition, possession, ownership, carrying or other use of privately-owned firearms” and that the policy only governs the ”voluntary” storage of private firearms, sailors must agree to do it and can in no way be coerced or incentivized to voluntarily participate. The rest of the message is about th storage of the firearms and then a little more about how “This voluntary measure of reducing lethal means can save a Sailor from an irreversible
decision and thus reduce suicide in our Navy.”
Some may say the warfare program was voluntary but now it is mandatory, and the driving for life was voluntary now it is mandatory so what will keep this from becoming mandatory? The Warfare program and Driving for Life both set no precedence that would show this becoming mandatory since they both are not constitutionally protected and firearms are. It would take a act of congress to make this mandatory and I really don’t see congress wanting to piss the military off any time soon.
All in all it is good they are trying new things but I really don’t see this changing much. What I feel the military needs to do is focus more on the people and reducing the high tempo of today military and let us the military know what we do really does make a deference in the world.
“I couldn't have been a skinhead without my leader knowing it;
I couldn't have been contemplating AWOL without my leader knowing it;
I couldn't have been thinking about suicide without my leader knowing it;
I couldn't have been less than prepared for the next advancement exam without my leader knowing it;
I couldn't have had a drug problem without my leader knowing it; and so on.
I believe they were also the kind of leaders who wouldn't just know, but would also act. That is what we need to get back...not just for the majority, but for every one of the people in our Navy.”
-ADM Jeremy M. Boorda the 25th CNO
Point of contact for suicide prevention programs is CAPT Mike D. Smith, OPNAV N171, at (901) 874-6635 or via e-mail at mike.d.smith1@navy.mil.
Point of contact for firearm storage is CDR Andrea Schreiber, OPNAV N4, at (703) 695-5526 or via e-mail at
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