One Conversation at a Time…​

By Admiral James G. Foggo, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

September begins with the Labor Day holiday marking the end of summer and the start of a new school year. The weather is cooler, the leaves start to turn, and traffic inside the beltway gets worse. Some things never change.

The month of September also brings other things to the forefront. This is “Suicide Awareness Month” and that is something all must pay attention to. I just received a letter from one of my former mentors, VADM John M. Bird, USN (ret.), Senior Vice President of Military Affairs at United Services Automobile Association (USAA).  John’s letter launched the “Face the Fight” campaign with the Humana Foundation and Reach Resilience, and Endeavors Foundation, to break the stigma of seeking help and stimulate the conversation about the problem of suicide in the ranks of our Armed Forces.

The statistics in the Face the Fight Fact Sheet are telling and compelling:

• Over 120K veterans have died by suicide since 2001.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among post 9/11 veterans.
• The veteran suicide rate is currently 1.5 times that of the general population.
• Over half the veterans who die by suicide do not have a mental illness.
• Suicide rates for male veterans between 18-34 years old nearly doubled since 2006.

These numbers are staggering and indicative of a systemic problem that we have not yet put our finger on. The rate of suicide amongst active duty and retired personnel must be addressed and mitigated. Last year’s incidences of multiple suicides on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, while she was undergoing a refueling overhaul in the shipyard served as a big wake-up call. According to the U.S. Navy’s investigation, “Each Sailor was experiencing unique and individualized life stressors, which were contributing factors leading to their deaths.”

On a more positive note, something else happens every year during the month of September on naval installations and ships around the world: Chief Petty Officer Initiation and Pinning Ceremonies. I was honored to become an honorary Chief Petty Officer while I was on active duty and I have always maintained that the Navy would be ineffective without our Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs). I would not have survived my command tour without a seasoned Chiefs Mess and two strong Chiefs of the Boat—Master Chiefs Paul DeCLerc and Rob Danielson. Many of our adversaries do not enjoy the benefits of NCO leadership on the deck plate to include Russian and Chinese Armed Forces. NCO’s give us a competitive edge.

I am honored to be able to journey to Annapolis this Friday, September 29, 2023 for the Chief’s Pinning Ceremony of my former Enlisted Aide, CS1 Caroleeta Henry. Now serving at Tenth Fleet, she will soon transfer to the White House to serve the Commander-in-Chief.  I am so proud of her Navy journey from Seaman to Chief Petty Officer, and I am honored to be able to stand beside her for this ceremony.  Along with this notable milestone and promotion comes significant responsibility. Chief Petty Officers are the link between the Wardroom and the Crew’s Mess.

On my first submarine, USS Sea Devil (SSN 664), I can recall then LCDR John M. Bird talking about leadership as a Department Head. When a Sailor fell behind in qualification, demonstrated a lapse in performance or in the worst-case scenario, was charged with a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, triggering an investigation and possibly Captain’s Mast, he would ask the question of the Chief, “So what’s going on in this Sailor’s personal life?” Where does the Sailor live—in the barracks or out in town? Is the Sailor having relationship problems at home or with shipmates? Is the Sailor having problems making ends meet? Does the Sailor have an alcohol problem? If the answer was “I don’t know sir,” then the CPO received a tasking order to find out and report back. That is what we called “intrusive leadership” back then. It was more about listening, showing that you care, and offering help in terms of programs, counseling, or services to help the Sailor out of a difficult situation at work or at home.

I brought this subject up with Navy League CEO Mike Stevens this morning. Mike was the 13^th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON 13), and he told me that his philosophy on the subject of suicide prevention was simple: “One Conversation at a Time.”  In all the commands that Mike served, he never lost a Sailor. For those who were at risk or in trouble, he made a point of sitting down with them, one-on-one, and having a conversation about life in the Navy and how to cope with the stressors that come up every day, both in port and at sea. Good advice! Suffice it to say that when I stand up with our new Chief Petty Officer Henry, I will remind her of her new leadership role and the importance of one conversation at a time.

Figure 1. The author with Chief Petty Officer Caroleeta Henry at the September 2023 Chief’s Pinning Ceremony. Photo from author.