Austin presses ahead with recommendations from Suicide Prevention Committee

ByC.ToddLopez

DOD News

Last year Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III established the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee, or SPRIRC, to investigate ways to address and prevent suicide in the military Today, the Defense Department announced that the secretary has implemented the first of the recommendations bythecommittee

“Secretary Austin is directing multiple immediate actions following the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent ReviewCommittee’srecommendationsand establishingasuicidepreventionimplemen- tation working group,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig Gen. Pat Ryder duringabriefingtoday.

The SPRIRC was directed to provide to thesecretaryaninitialreportbeforetheend of2022.Nowthatthesecretaryhasreviewed the report, he has directed the department to move ahead on a two-phase approach to implement some of the recommendations itcontains

As part of the first phase, Austin has directed implementation of 10 of the SPRIRC’s recommendations Austin has directed for instance that the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness expedite the hiring process for behavioral healthprofessionals

The secretary has also directed the DefenseHealthAgency,incoordinationwith the secretaries of the military departments to expand the availability of behavioral health care and to also improve processes toenhanceaccesstomentalhealthcare

As part of the second phase of implementation, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness will establish a Suicide Prevention Implementation WorkingGroup.

The working group will, among other things assess the advisability and feasibility of implementing each of the remaining recommendations by the SPRIRC, identify specific policy and program changes needed to implement each of the remain- ingrecommendations,andprovidecostand manpowerestimatesrequiredtoimplement eachremainingrecommendation

TheinitialSPRIRCrecommendationsthe SECDEF has directed to be implemented Rydersaid,arethosethatcanbedoneimmediately by the department without any additional authorities. Implementation of additionalrecommendationswillcomeafter considerationbytheworkinggroup.

“While we recognize that suicide has no single cause, and that no single preventativeaction,treatmentorcurewilleliminate suicide altogether we will exhaust every effort to promote the wellness, health and morale of our total force, be there for one anotherandsavelives,”Rydersaid

Norfolk Naval Shipyard hosts first Naval Sea Systems Command Project Superintendent Symposium

Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Recently, Norfolk Naval Shipyard held the first of its kind Project Superintendent Symposium. The symposium was intended to be an immersive tailor-made experience in which all four public shipyards project superintendentscangetbacktothebasicsof ProjectManagementFundamentals(PMF). The symposium provided insights, strategies, and frameworks for shipyard project superintendents to help drive real impact while they lead their project teams for on-timedeliveriesbacktotheFleet.

“To date, there hasn’t been a mechanism foralloftheprojectsuperintendentsfromall fourpublicshipyardstocometogether,”said

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)

Naval Shipyard Support Office (NSSO)

Deputy Director and Event Chair Leaha

Odom. “This event allowed over 40 project superintendents, carrier/sub program managers, and deputy project superintendents to come together as a community to learn together grow together develop a stronger project superintendent network andusingpositive,impactfulinfluence.”

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Operations Department Execution Manager (Code 300.2)MarkEvansadded,“Althoughproject superintendents communicate frequently via other methods, there is value in having aface-to-facemeetingtoestablishrelationships and have more in-depth discussions than would normally be possible via e-mail orphone.”

Leadership methods and styles, communicationmethods,sharedexperiences,frustrations, and best practices were shared through keynote engagements, fireside chats, small group workshops, large group learningsessions,androundtableQ&A NAVSEADeputyCommanderforIndustrial Operations, (NAVSEA 04) Rear Adm. ScottBrown,wasoneofthekeynotespeakers for the symposium. “We can do much more within our shipyards to help improve our own operations,” Brown said. “People are our most important resource and we must do more at the shipyard level in terms of our people development. Our focus on people will enable all shipyard employees to more effectively serve in their vital roles gettingourshipsbacktotheNavy.”

Discussionsarealreadyhappeningtoturn theProjectSuperintendentSymposiuminto an annual event. Although the theme and topics for the next symposium are under development, it will be heavily weighted on what project superintendents want to discuss.

“While NSSO plans for the next sympo- sium, we will endeavor to take care of our project superintendent community. We are empowering our four shipyards’ leaders to takecareoftheirpeopleandtheiravailabilities through relevant content and shared collaboration, to send them back out to the fight: renewed, refreshed, and ready,” said Odom. She concluded the event with: “Do it but don’t compromise principles; don’t compromisedoingtherightthing;holdfirm tothatandtakeastanceandbetheexample Your team will respect you for it, they will trustyoumore,andbewillingtogotheextra mile They see you listening, taking action, holding people accountable and building orinfluencingrelationships Ifyoudothese things, then the work is the relationship, theworkisyourbrand,andtheworkisyour ability to influence and tell your story That iswhatit’sallabout.”