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Veterans Advisory Committee Minutes May 28,2019 Page 8 Sueoka: And they say when folks are successful at planning a suicide attempt, when they're successful its because it wasn't planned out as much as they were going to be successful at doing it. That type of person fits the rofile, he fits the profile for somebody that's going to accomplish the mission regardless of what people think, hear, say. Regardless of what he says, he may have been more guarded, it was easier for him to withhold that information so it seemed like to the general public there were no red flags but on the inside there were tons of them. That's why I say, once they commit suicide, we don't ever have he chance to ask them, "how did you hide that information? How did you hide your red flags?" That's why on the clinical side, with every suicide, it doesn't make it easier, it makes it harder because we come up with more guys get away with hiding their red flags. Right now, in the general public everybody hears the words "red flags" you odn't have to have a class on it. Fifteen, 20 years ago, we never used the words "red flag." It evolves and this guy was able to hide his red flags. You hear enough about it. Ythen you hear about the ones that attempted and you hear what everybody says after that, "you weren't successful." There're reasons for that. Messina: So as the Mayor's Veterans Advisory Committee, you were bringing this up a seconds ago, Marcia. And I also understand what Emile is saying too, there's a lot of information out there available to people. But is this something that the Veterans Advisory Committee would like to do, reminder for Veterans out there, this is the suicide rate for Veterans, this is where you can go for help, things like that. I hate to say press release, but something you could put in the paper. Wery: Public service announcement. Messina: Yeah, especially after Memorial Day. Sheridan: Is there a mental health week? Nahakuelua: There's a mental health month, that's May. Messina: I was just thinking something more specifically for Veterans because Veterans are the ones who still read the newspaper„ Veterans are the ones who still checks in and even thouh we may all know it. But this is coming from Veterans, advising the Mayor, maybe we just remind people that there's help out there. Brinkley: I have a friend who lost her husband o suicide who was in the care of the VA and Vets Center, saw these people frequently, still comitteed suicide. There was no waarnning to her, she had no idea that this was going to happen until he did it. I think a reminder is good. Encouraging people putting on programs for Veterans let's remember to ask or teach people, not only the people who are at risk but also the people around them, to ask the question or show some caring. Messina: That's a good point, the people around them. It's not just for the Veteran, maybe its for the family member or the daughter who are recognizing the red flags.