By Joseph Lusignan, Young Marines Deputy Director, West Coast Operations Suicide. There, I said it. It’s a subject that all too often we are afraid to talk about, and yet even in the Young Marines program, it is striking our youth at alarming rates. Talking about it is almost taboo in our culture, but as we love our kids, and some of them are choosing this way out, we cannot be ostriches with our heads in the sand. We must talk about it. We must acknowledge that it happens, and we must convince our youth that this is not the way out to temporary problems. Whether the cause is bullying, troubled relation- ships, or other hardships, the answer should never be to take one’s own life. In the best of our Young Marines units, we provide resources that support our kids. We have adults that care about and love our Young Marines. We have adults that will take the time to support and talk with our youth who are in need and strug- gling. We are committed to our Young Marines that we will search to find them resources. We have Young Marines who treat each other as family, like brothers and sisters. WE CARE! All too often, people choose the wrong path because they are lost, and feeling isolated. We must make the extra effort to ensure our kids know that we love them and hurting, harming, or even killing themselves is NOT the answer. How do I know someone is wandering down that wrong path? Here are symptoms to look for: These signs may mean that someone is at risk for suicide. Risk is greater if the behavior is new, or has increased, and if it seems related to a painful event, loss, or change: • Talking about wanting to die or kill oneself • Looking for a way to kill oneself • Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live • Talking about feeling trapped or being in unbearable pain • Talking about being a burden to others • Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs • Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly • Sleeping too little or too much • Withdrawing or feeling isolated • Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge • Displaying extreme mood swings Now, we are not experts on this subject. If we believe one of our kids is in danger, what do we do? First off, TAKE IT SERI- OUSLY. Don’t just blow it off. If you believe someone may be thinking about suicide: • Ask them if they are thinking about killing themselves. (This will not put the idea into their head or make it more likely that they will attempt suicide.) • Listen without judging and show you care. • Stay with the person (or make sure the person is in a private, secure place with another caring person) until you can get fur- ther help. • Remove any objects that could be used in a suicide attempt. • Call SAMHSA’s National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800- 273-TALK (8255) and follow their guidance. • If danger for self-harm seems imminent, call 911. In the Young Marines, we foster a culture that values life, provides perspective and social support to our members, and helps them navigate the struggles of life to find a sense of hope,meaning,and purpose. Suicide is not a choice that brings an end to a problem, it causes hurt, pain, loss and sorrow to those you love and those that care about you. Please, before even thinking about harming yourself, reach out to your Young Marine family. A Community Service Project: The Buddy Bench By YM/Sgt Maj Michael Dulin Greater Cleveland (OH) Finding friends can be hard in elementary school, but it shouldn’t have to be. If two people can meet by chance and form a quick connection, that connection can develop into a lifelong friendship. That all starts with the first step. A Buddy Bench is a bench that can be placed at any park or school that is used by students or children to make new friends and never traverse the playground alone. Once one person sits down, another kid can come along and sit down too. This makes it so that no one will play alone, and that kids can meet other kids and make that lasting connection that ev- eryone strives for in life. The idea for this bench started when my unit moved into its current dill center. Our unit is a part-time bus garage for Fair- view Park City Schools, and located right behind us is the city’s elementary school. For all the things and privileges that the city and schools have done for our unit, I thought it only just to make by community project be based on giving back to the schools. After contacting the school board and getting an ec- static response from the school’s Educational Director, I began planning my Buddy Bench. I wanted the bench to be durable and colorful for students to play on and enjoy. I decided on scarlet and silver, the school’s colors, and I began construction.With the help of 8 other eager Young Marines and 3 helpful registered staff members, I began construction. It was a team effort that took only about two and a half hours to build. The cost of the bench’s wood mate- rial was graciously picked up by the Greater Cleveland Young Marines,and various other little supplies such as paint brushes and paint were paid for by me by choice. With the harsh weather of Ohio, I had taken my bench into the garage to begin painting. After three hours total of paint- ing, some fine detailing, and a shiny plaque donated by my Unit Commander to be mounted on the front of the bench, my project was complete and ready to presented. The bench will be presented to Fairview Park Elementary School in the sum- mer of 2017, and I can’t wait to see the faces of all the kids when they return to school in the fall of 2017. It is a humbling feeling knowing that our work as a unit may touch the lives of all these growing children and that the Buddy Bench may be the reason for so many new friendships to come. [Editor’s Note: YM/SgtMaj Michael Dulin is Division 5 Young Marine of the Year]. Offering Support to Young Marines is Critical in Suicide Prevention YOUNG MARINES ESPRIT 15