Page 2 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, November 19, 2021

2 November 19, 2021 Commentary Desert lightNiNg News s. NevaDa Desert lightNiNg News s. NevaDa News November 19, 2021 3
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My personal dedication to suicide prevention New Emergency Department opens to support community, readiness

by Roger Hall I struggled with why he kept it to himself and did not dealing with her consistently not following medical by Robyn Wolf
Nellis AFB, Nev.
Incirlik AB, Turkey reach out. After all, we were family! Unlike the coffins advice or refusing medical treatment. She was a bur-
in the past, this was a real body as I walked into the den on the system, even using my trump card as an Military Health leaders and promi-
My journey with suicide began at a very young age. room with my sister-in-law; the funeral home did the active duty Army hospital chaplain no longer carried nent members of the Las Vegas commu-
I must have been around age 10 when my parents sat best that they could, but there is no hiding a gunshot any weight. Law enforcement would show up and do a nity came together at Mike O’Callaghan
me down and told me that my grandfather had killed to the head. It left a lasting memory of many of Soldiers quick check and would leave. It was frustrating for all Military Medical Center’s newly con-
himself. At this point, I had already lost all but one lost on the battlefield and in life. of us who were trying to help her. structed Emergency Room at Nellis Air
grandparent, and while death was real to me, it meant It was at that point I made it my mission that once I Then one night while I was in Korea, now working Force Base, Nev., for a ribbon cutting
looking at a casket (because my parents would not let me became a chaplain that no one was going to die on my as a civilian, my phone kept ringing off the hook. I just ceremony Nov. 10, 2021.
look at the body) and the casket in turn being buried. watch. For 14 years I served as an Army chaplain, and turned it off and went back to sleep. I just could not The ceremony was hosted by Col.
No one showed emotion, no grieving from what I can I am very proud of the fact that I never lost one service be bothered with her story and constantly pleading Brent Johnson, commander, 99th Medi-
remember, it was an event and we moved on. As I dis- member or family member to suicide. for God to help her. It had been over a year since I last cal Group. The Keynote speakers were
covered later in life, suicide in my family is something The Army afforded me the best training that I could heard from her. She was divorced and in my mind, no Director of the Defense Health Agency
that happens and no one talks about it. get: two clinical rotations with Menninger Clinic, longer family because I thought she had moved back in Lt. Gen. Ronald Place and Chief of the
When I asked my father why, I was told the story of training on just about every suicide prevention model, with her mother and her family was now her caretaker. Medical Service Corps and former 99th
how my grandfather was the caretaker of his sister, a etc. Don’t get me wrong, there were lots of challenging We just got through with a week-long exercise in the Medical Group commander Brig. Gen.
great aunt I never knew, who was dying of cancer … times, lots of tears and emotions as I sat with individu- hospital; I was tired and did not want to stay up all night Alfred Flowers.
watching cancer rotting away at her, and how he had als and saw their pain. Soldiers and their families were listening to the same story over and over again. I was The new MOMMC Emergency De-
to consistently change her sheets and clean her up and suicidal and there were even a few serious attempts tired of pleading with her for many years to take her partment is a state-of-the-art facility
the horrible pain that she was in. Back in those days, we along the way, but by the grace of God, somebody got meds and go get help. I had no idea where she lived, if featuring two triage rooms, two trauma
did not have the medical care for such patients in small there in time. Many were put into the Inpatient Psychi- she had a job or what her status was. I had really hoped rooms, seven “fast-track” rooms, and 13
rural America. You were sent home to die; no hospice, atric Unit (IPU) and got immediate help; others were that after the divorce, she had moved on and she was just treatment rooms.
no medical care, just family watching you die. sent off to residency programs while the majority got having one of her episodes and would give up and find In addition to celebrating the com-
As my father laid out the story, he related it to my the counseling that they needed. Most returned to ac- someone else to cry to. I think we all felt like victims pleted building construction, leaders
grandfather, who was told by his small town country tive duty and are still serving or retired. I carry those having to deal with her. recognized the 99th Medical Group’s
doctor that he had cancer. Fearing what he had to face, painful stories with me. It drives me every day to make Little did I know, this time she really needed someone. strong community partnerships.
he chose to take his own life instead of putting someone sure no one is suffering in silence; no one has to think I suspect that at this point in her life she had burned down “Leaders here understand that build-
through the suffering of having to take care of him as he about taking their life. all of the bridges and had nowhere to go. The next morn- ing and sustaining a ready medical force
was dying a horrible death. It made sense to my young While I am proud of my service and commitment ing, I had a long text message and then I discovered that means that we need to build a more
mind; die with dignity, don’t be a burden and ease your to life, there is one person whom I could not help, and she went out and killed herself the next day. comprehensive and integrated relation-
suffering. Years later in my doctoral studies, my ethics that painfully haunts me. Somewhere along the line I was devastated. I was sad for her son, so young and ship with our civilian partners in the Air Force photographs by Airman 1st Class Josey Blades
instructor gave me the assignment of presenting on the in my time on active duty, my younger brother had a now without a mom. Part of me was feeling really guilty community,” said Place. Air Force Medical Group officials cut a ribbon to officially open the
topic of suicide, and the question was “are there valid serious accident, and the doctor was concerned for his and relieved at the same time; her suffering was finally For almost 20 years, both military newly expanded and redesigned Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical
reasons for suicide?” well-being so he put him in the IPU. It was while my over, the mental anguish that she lived with since pu- and civilian medical resources in the Center Emergency Department at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Nov.
Oddly enough, the author of the book had reinforced brother was in the IPU that he met a beautiful young berty had finally ended. I also felt the guilt for ignoring Las Vegas area have combined to sup- 10, 2021. The renovations will allow MOMMC to evaluate and treat
the reasons for my grandfather’s suicide, while giving lady who was also on suicide watch. Why was she in her for the one time when I just did not feel like dealing port the readiness effort of 99th Medical civilian, non-DOD patients in an effort to increase access to critical
compelling arguments against. My challenge now the IPU on this particular occasion? She did not like with it, my emotions were overwhelming. I don’t know Group medics. Air Force medics have care in military communities and provide training platforms to
became a conflict deep within me, with my religious the perm she received and tried to kill herself. You if I could have made a difference being halfway around integrated into civilian settings in order support medic readiness.
beliefs that I had to help Soldiers and family members would think to yourself, “run away, far away,” but the world. I knew that it was a matter of time — not if to develop and sustain clinical skills
deal with life-and-death issues while wrestling with my my brother fell in love and married this young lady she ever was going to kill herself, but when — and her necessary in combat areas. Up until
childhood embedded beliefs. who, as we discovered, had some very serious mental nightmare was now over, leaving behind a tsunami of recently, these efforts have been limited
It was not until many years later that suicide started conditions that required meds, therapy and, in some emotions that we all had to deal with. to civilian medical environments.
having a larger impact on my life. At one particular cases, 24/7 care. I was grateful that both of my parents had already Now, MOMMC has opened its
point while I was in seminary, I had a brother-in-law They had a child, ended up getting a divorce and passed from cancer and, I suspect, from an overdose of Emergency Department doors to ci-
take his own life without any signs or warning. Being life just kept spiraling down for her. She could not hold morphine that is readily available. My father, who was vilian patients arriving by local am- Brig. Gen. Alfred K. Flowers, Jr., director, Manpower,
retired Air Force who received all of those briefings, he a job, she lost all rights to see her son and eventually her largest supporter, passed the month before and even bulance. This allows Air Force medics Personnel and Resources, and chief of the Medical Service
knew how to hide the signs. He meticulously planned ended up homeless, living off of the kindness of strang- on his death bed, she was begging for his financial sup- even more opportunities to develop Corps, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, gives a
every detail. He left detailed instructions for his wife: ers after her own family — mother and brothers — had port. He was her last resource, and I should have seen and refine valuable life-saving medi- speech at the ribbon cutting ceremony and debut of
whom to contact for the life insurance, survivor’s abandoned her. Over the many years that I knew her, that red flag, but I was too busy dealing with his death cal skills necessary for expeditionary the newly expanded and redesigned Mike O’Callaghan
benefits, etc., down to the smallest detail, with one I got what seemed like thousands of calls, emails, IMs, and the aftermath while living overseas. environments. Military Medical Center Emergency Department at Nellis
exception — why? etc. I would talk with her for hours, pleading with her I keep her message on my phone and read it on oc- Johnson emphasized the bi-direction Air Force Base, Nov., Nov. 10, 2021.
To this day we have our suspicions, but we will never to go get help. My hands were tied, most of the time I casion to remind me that as painful as it may be, we benefit this initiative signifies. “By car-
know. For me it hit hard. He knew I was working to was too far away to be able to do anything. She would owe it to each other to be there when there is a cry for ing for our fellow citizens in an area
become a chaplain, that I was trained to deal with refuse medical care, just believing that God would heal help, no matter how tired we are or how many times identified as an area of need by the RIGHT: Participants salute during the national anthem
life-and-death issues and that he could have come to her. Calling 911 was eventually a waste of time because we have to step in, because the one time we don’t may State of Nevada without a hospital in before the ribbon cutting ceremony and debut of the
newly expanded and redesigned Mike O’Callaghan
me in confidence … We could have worked this out! the local law enforcement, judges, etc., just got tired of be the moment that haunts us for the rest of our lives. the immediate area, we help our com- Military Medical Center Emergency Department at Nellis
munity, while enabling Air Force med- Air Force Base, Nev., Nov. 10, 2021.
ics to maintain clinical readiness skills
Desert Lightning News, So. Nevada edition is Department of the Air Force or Aerotech News and For all submissions, a name and phone number needed in combat,” he said.
published by Aerotech News and Review, a private Review of the products or services advertised. of a person to contact must be included in the event Opening of MOMMC’s new Emer- training and an opportunity to expand mortar. It’s about a commitment to the Projected to occur sometime in 2022, the
firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force. Everything advertised in the publication shall be questions arise. gency Department to civilian patients in the future,” Johnson noted. future of what trauma care should look designation will be followed by American
Contents of Desert Lightning News, So. Nevada edition made available for purchase and use of patronage All material is edited for accuracy, brevity, clarity
Desert Lightning News Staff are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national and conformity to the AP Style Guide, to include represents an investment in the expan- Leaders are optimistic that the success like in this community, and serves as College of Surgeons verification. This
Paul Kinison, Publisher, Aerotech News and Review by, Aerotech News and Review, the U.S. government, origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political military ranks and proper writing etiquette. sion of a unique training platform, of this initiative will serve as an example a reminder of what integrated trauma will allow MOMMC’s medics to care for
Stuart Ibberson, Editor the Department of Defense or the Department of the affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the Corrections: Desert Lightning News staff
Tinna Sellie, Editorial Layout members strive for accurac y each week . found nowhere else in the Air Force. to other Military Treatment Facilities and care can look like in any community,” critically injured trauma patients and
Sandy Bueltel, Advertising Sales Air Force. purchaser, user or patron. If you notice an error in fact, contact the Desert “There’s really nowhere comparable the healthcare infrastructure as a whole. said Place. vastly increase both medical capability
The appearance of advertising in this publication, The deadline for submissions to Desert Lightning News staff at 334-718-3509, or e-mail
CONTACT: Editorial Staff at 334-718-3509 including inserts and supplements, does not constitute Lightning News is no later than Monday, 4:30 p.m., in the Air Force that has the same “Today’s ribbon-cutting is not just Next up for MOMMC is becoming in Northeast Las Vegas and military
For editorial staff: e-mail editor@aerotechnews.com an endorsement by the Department of Defense, the the week of desired publication date. editor@aerotechnews.com, and we will consider combination of great teammates, great about the completion of the bricks and Level III Trauma Center designated. medical readiness at Nellis.
publishing a correction when appropriate.
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