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Seize The Opportunity

Purpose

The STOP campaigns’ main purpose is to bridge that gap between prevention and intervention. Highlighting the importance of one's actions impacting those around them.

Back Story

We have all been there, deep in thought , unknowingly  buried in our daily tasks. I too have been guilty of this. Last year I was a busy CAR working elbow deep in the tasks of the day. As I did every morning, I greeted the Airmen as they walked by my office door, haphazardly looking up occasionally.  I said hello and continued to work. On this day however, an Airman whom I had interacted with  on the daily walked by I said my usual good morning, but this day I noticed a change in their behavior. Not a big change but enough to get my attention and cause me to STOP what I was doing and follow them down the hall and ask are you ok? At first, they walked away saying yes, I’m fine but I followed intently and asked again. This time however  they replied with no I'm not ok. I invited them into my office to talk and a cup of coffee. It was at this time that I learned this Airman was struggling with some relationship issues and had the night before contemplated suicide. I was able to get them to mental health, receiving the urgent intervention they needed. In the days that followed I began to think about how I , just one person, could with just a moment of time create a change with the simple act of intention. 

-Erica Kerin, 9 RW Prevention Specialist