Despite policy changes, mandatory training events, research studies, and novel initiatives across numerous organizations, the US Army continues its battle against suicide. Historical and current suicide prevention measures focus on the identification of risk factors through yearly training; however, the number of inordinate risk variables and complexities of timely identification of suicide ideation or behavior limit this approach. As soldier suicides continue to impact the Army's readiness, the Army requires a change in focus to combat the ever increasing-rate of soldier suicides. This monograph proposes placing a stronger emphasis on tangible protective factors already in place in the Army - the leaders, counseling, and substantiated behavioral health institutions - to create tangible means of trust as a complement to current suicide prevention techniques. Deliberately creating a tangible protective environment by increasing trust one soldier at a time and using that trust as the means to remove the stigma of seeking behavioral health can further contribute to suicide prevention.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)