Page 2 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings Oct. 2 2015

Desert Wings Commentary October 2, 2015

2 www.aerotechnews.com/edwardsafb facebook.com/EdwardsDesertWings

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by Staff Sgt. Darlene Seltmann workplaces. Organizations often use it to WLRQVDUHWKH\FDQVWLOOFUHDWHDQHJDWLYH VWLOOVSHDNLQJRQEHKDOIRIP\RI¿FHP\
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promote and control their reputation and ¿HOGDQGWKH$LU)RUFH
0\MREDVDSXEOLFDIIDLUVSURIHVVLRQDO 'LG,JHWDQ\RQHLQMXUHG":DVWKHUHDQ\
FRQVLVWVVSHFL¿FDOO\RIFRPPXQLFDWLQJZLWK can use it as a source to feed their audience. I recently took part in something that ORVVRIOLIH"1R:HUHDLUFUDIWVWLOODEOHWR
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the public to gain support for our Air Force Unfortunately there will always be in- ending up making its way around the Air
SHUVRQQHOUHVRXUFHVDQGPLVVLRQV )RUFHDQGDPRQJVWP\HQWLUHFDUHHU¿HOG accomplished? Of course it did.
dividuals with less than innocent agendas 1HYHUWKHOHVVP\DFWLRQVVWLOOUHÀHFWHG
$OWKRXJK P\ MRE¶V SULPDU\ SXUSRVH LV It was humiliating.
who use the various social media platforms. SRRUO\RQP\RI¿FHRXUZLQJHQWLUHEDVH
to strengthen the bonds between the Air :H FDQ¶W FRQWURO WKDW KRZHYHU ZH FDQ I made an irresponsible decision to en- DQGRQP\FDUHHU¿HOGDVDZKROH<RXPD\

Force and the public to promote public un- control our responses and our profession- gage with a community page that was think the actions you take at home do not
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alism. speaking poorly and criticizing my work-
can tell you we make our share of mistakes 5HJDUGOHVV RI \RXU SHUVRQDO WKRXJKWV SODFH,EHFDPHGHIHQVLYHRIP\RI¿FH¶V but I assure you they do.
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that don’t always cast the Air Force in a IHHOLQJVDQGRUEHOLHIVWKHEHVWDGYLFHWKDW position on the topic and the overall role
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positive light. public affairs plays in the Air Force. By ZKHWKHU ZH DUH DW ZRUN RU DW KRPH RXU
/LYLQJ LQ WKH GLJLWDO DJH VRFLDO PHGLD think about what you do before you do it. GRLQJ WKLV , KXUW P\ FDXVH PRUH WKDQ ,
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helped it.
your actions and is it something that could

has become the new norm in our ways of represent our service positively? Although correspondence was done from actions and words represent our branch of

interaction in both our personal lives and As minor as you may believe your ac- P\SHUVRQDOVRFLDOPHGLDDFFRXQW,ZDV service 24/7.

Follow up; it can be a matter of life, death

by Capt. David Liapis We also can’t assume that just RQO\RSWLRQ":KDWZHQWZURQJ":K\GLGQ¶WKHUSUHYLRXV
)DLUFKLOG$)%:DVK H[SHULHQFHVDQGNQRZOHGJHZRUN"
because someone acknowledges
She was a hero. She was someone who had the courage 7KHPDMRUOHVVRQ,OHDUQHGIURPDOORIWKLVZDVWKDWSUH-
that they know asking for help is
to act when it mattered most. She was a true wingman. She venting suicide is not a one-time event. This Airman’s saga
a sign of strength that they will
saw the warning signs of depression and suicidal ideations demonstrates that we cannot assume that once someone has
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received mental health treatment and successfully walked
and her friend’s life was saved. in the past.
7KLV$LUPDQNQHZWKHZDUQLQJVLJQVZHOOEHFDXVHVKH through dark times that they’re inoculated and won’t relapse
<RX¶YHJRWWREHDEOHWRDGPLW\RXQHHGKHOSDQGWKDWWDNHV DQGUHTXLUHIXUWKHUKHOS:HDOVRFDQ¶WDVVXPHWKDWMXVWEH-
had been there before. VWUHQJWK´
cause someone acknowledges that they know asking for help
I had the opportunity to meet this life-saving Airman after $ERXWD\HDUDIWHU,VSRNHZLWKWKLV³KHUR$LUPDQ´,ZDV LVDVLJQRIVWUHQJWKWKDWWKH\ZLOODFWXDOO\GRLWHYHQLIWKH\
informed that she had tragically taken her own life. I was
learning of her proactive intervention. I sat with her in my stunned. How could an Airman who seemed to have risen have in the past.
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H[SHULHQFHVZLWKGHSUHVVLRQDQGWKRXJKWVRIWDNLQJKHURZQ up in a frame of mind where taking her life appeared her I’m not insinuating that anyone who has sought mental
OLIHDQGKRZWKDWKHOSHGKHUNQRZZKDWWRGRZKHQVKHUHDO- KHDOWKKHOSRUKDVH[SUHVVHGVXLFLGDOLGHDWLRQVVKRXOGEH
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ized her friend felt she had reached the end of hope.
need to be engaged with our Airmen and know how they
This Airman was able to meet with me that day because DUHGRLQJQRPDWWHUKRZ³VWDEOH´RU³XQVWDEOH´ZHSHUFHLYH
VKHVRXJKWKHOSDQGWKDQNIXOO\DQGPRUHLPSRUWDQWO\VKH
them to be.
was there for her friend when she needed her the most. She ,ZDVVWDWLRQHGDWZKDWZDVWKHQ(OPHQGRUI$LU)RUFH
VDLG³$VNLQJIRUKHOSLVQRWDZHDNQHVV,W¶VDVWUHQJWK
See SUICIDE, Page 4

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