Praevius Group’s John Hearn acted as an Interactive Role-Play Facilitator at Fort Hood on Sept. 9 as a part of Suicide Prevention month. As a former service member, Hearn coached the audience through personal stories and engaged learners with interactive decision making by doing a “question and answer session.”

There have been 5 suicide cases at Fort Hood since Jan. 2011, which continues to motivate Hearn and others to make it a priority to address the issue and teach soldiers how to deal with their feelings and experiences-as well as be aware of the behavioral signs of their fellow soldiers.

Click here to read the full story as found on the U.S. Army Military Website, or continue reading:

FORT HOOD, Texas, Sept. 9, 2011 — PowerPoint slides can be very boring, especially in a dark auditorium. Now combine that with a difficult topic for discussion like suicide prevention. It’s a recipe for an instant nap.

Instead, Fort Hood is waking up Soldiers and giving them the opportunity to join live actors on stage for a suicide prevention interactive play every Tuesday at Palmer Theater.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Although suicide awareness is stressed all year long, September is set aside to conduct training and to test crisis response plans.

According to the Army, as of July, 161 suicides have been reported in 2011 — 97 active duty and 64 Reserve Component Soldiers. Fort Hood has reported five suicide cases since Jan. 2011 — three confirmed with two still under investigation.

“The impact that suicide is having across the Army right now,” John Hearn, Interactive Role-Play facilitator said, “Soldiers need to know how big of a deal it really is.”

Hearn, a former service member, interacts with his audience throughout the play using his own personal stories, and he asks for audience participation on how to approach different suicide prevention scenarios.

The interactive play highlights the common risk factors and warning signs of suicide, Sharon Sutton, Fort Hood’s Suicide Prevention Program manager, said.

During the play, four professionally trained actors dramatize the warning signs and act out the risk factors of suicide from a Soldier’s perspective.

Aaron Alexander, an actor who played “Spc. Alexander” throughout several skits, said, “Something I love doing — acting — is actually saving lives.”

The play started off with each actor introducing themselves as their Soldier persona. Then Hearn gave a short introduction of Alexander’s background. Alexander is a central character throughout the play.

Alexander, once a well-rounded, hard-working Soldier, runs across the stage because he is late for formation, again. He shows a sudden change in behavior, a lack of respect for himself and others, and a depression and emotional detachment.

Alexander’s platoon leader questioned his recent change in behavior.

“What’s going on?” the platoon leader asked. The specialist quickly gave a one-word response.

“Nothing,” he said.

The actors freeze. Hearn then leads the audience in a question-and answer-session. He pulled a Soldier, Spc. Erik Melvin, 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, out of the audience to portray Spc. Alexander’s close friend who is concerned about his change in behavior.

Melvin dramatized the “Ask” portion of the “Ask, Care, and Escort,” or ACE, training model.

With the help of the audience giving suggestions, Melvin role-played different ways to approach Alexander to get him to open up and confide to him. But as real life does not play out like fiction from books, Alexander tells Melvin nothing.

“See something, say something,” Hearn said as he stepped back in for another question-and-answer session. “Now is the time to ’say something’ to someone about Alexander’s behavior,” Hearn said.

The play continued with Alexander continuing to show warning signs and risk factors of suicidal behavior. His work performance continued to fall and his temper was spiraled out of control.

Next, Spc. James Kuritz, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, was brought on stage as Alexander’s platoon leader. Kuritz then assisted in the dramatization of the ‘Care’ portion of ACE.

Kuritz tried to get Alexander to talk about what is sending him in a downward spiral. Unfortunately, with no response but “nothing,” Kuritz contacts Alexander’s ex-girlfriend, “Spc. Dominguez,” portrayed by actress Karina Dominguez.

In a humorous rant, Dominguez quickly dismisses Kuritz’s warnings about Alexander’s behavior saying, “He is my ex boyfriend, not current boyfriend!”

The laughter stopped when Dominguez is informed that Alexander has killed himself, showing what happens when suicidal risk factors and warning signs are ignored.

Other skits were performed to demonstrate the “Escort” portion of ACE by Dominguez and Michelle Keffer, and “See something, say something” by actors Alexander and Joey Hood.

Dominguez said the play helps Soldiers because it has something different for them with the interactivity, which helps stimulate them.

“They get a chance to get involved and invested,” she said.

Captain Aaron Skerkavich, 5-82 FA Regt., said he had his own preconceived notion about what the play would be like, but he felt they definitely blew that out of the water.

“It was awesome,” he said.

The interactive role-play is performed each Tuesday at Fort Hood. The play is recommended for adults only, due to some graphic language throughout the performance.

For anyone needing immediate assistance, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-SUICIDE, or the Fort Hood Chaplain Crisis Line, 287-CHAP (2427).

FORT HOOD, TX-Praevius Group’s Chris Miller and Nate Self were among the many friends and family welcoming home the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade back from a 12-month deployment in Afghanistan.

As former soldiers, Miller and Self believe it is important to support returning servicemen.

Click here to read the full story as found on the Killeen Daily Herald Website, or continue reading:

After 12 months, thousands of missions and 250 roadside bombs cleared, the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade closed the final chapter on its deployment to Afghanistan during a colors-uncasing ceremony Friday at Cameron Field.

The Lumberjack unit, whose lineage dates back to World War I, returned to Fort Hood in mid-January. The unfurling was originally planned for Feb. 3, but it was postponed due to weather.

About 450 soldiers from the battalion’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Forward Support Company, 510th Clearance Company and 584th Mobility Augmentation Company stood in formation to hear their last official “welcome homes” from Col. Kent Savre, brigade commander, and Canadian Brig. Gen. Peter Atkinson, deputy commanding general, III Corps and Fort Hood.

The battalion has deployed twice to Iraq. This was its first deployment to Afghanistan.

Savre, recently redeployed from the brigade’s mission in Iraq, told 20th soldiers that their efforts in Kandahar province, in oppressive heat and against a lethal enemy, “made a huge difference for the people of Afghanistan and their democracy, and our nation’s strength and democracy.”

It wouldn’t have been possible without support from the home front, he said, and it wasn’t without a price. He asked those present to observe a moment of silence for the 13 battalion soldiers who were killed in action.

“We will never forget them,” Atkinson said.

In addition to those lost in combat, four battalion soldiers preparing to deploy died during the Nov. 5, 2009, shooting at Fort Hood’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center. Eleven more were wounded.

About 30 soldiers, including battalion commander Lt. Col. Peter Andrysiak, received Bronze Star Medals during an awards ceremony following the uncasing.

Andrysiak commanded a task force that grew to 1,100 soldiers, including hundreds of soldiers from non-Fort Hood units, during the deployment.

Although the Afghanistan mission is over, he said, a new one began as soon as the Lumberjacks touched ground: keeping soldiers safe at home.

Latent issues can surface after a deployment, he said, and leaders are making soldiers and families aware of the resources available to them at Fort Hood.

“The job for leaders doesn’t change,” Andrysiak said.

Contact Colleen Flaherty at colleenf@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7559.

ARLINGTON, VA-Praevius Group’s Nate Self and Brett Bartell met with Dr. Mari Maeda and her team of developers and scientists on Jan. 13-14 to discuss a project for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA. The meeting was the initial stages of the Transformative Applications Program that Praevius Group is currently working on.

For more information on DARPA, click here.

SALADO, TX-The smell of smoked pork, chili and cornbread filled the air as Praevius Group hosted its 2nd annual Royal View Romp on Dec. 11.

This year’s activities included a 1K for kids, a 5K for adults and a party in celebration of the football game between the Army and Navy-a rivalry match known as “America’s Game.”

“The first year we had live music, but no one ran because it rained,” said Nate Self, Praevius Group employee and event organizer. “This year we had a run, but no live music. But next year, we’re having both!”

Going on its third year, the next Royal View Romp will be Dec. 10 2011. Singer Trent Monk will perform live at the event.

ATLANTA, GA-Praevius Group’s Nate Self was a lead speaker for a  Bridges to Healing Seminar Nov. 6 at St. Mark United Methodist Church near Fort Benning.

Self spoke on behalf of Military Ministry, a faith-based organization that tends to the needs and stresses of service people and their families. Self, having suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as an Army veteran, related to the audience, which was made up of active duty Soldiers, their families, veterans, and local citizens committed to helping veterans.

Self talked about his past experiences in Afghanistan and shared his coping mechanisms as a returning soldier adjusting to civilian life. He encouraged community members and churches to reach out to soldiers, veterans and their families, and minister to them when possible.

For more information on Military Ministry, click here.

For the link to The South Georgia Conference press release, click here.

ATLANTA, GA-Praevius Group’s Nate Self spoke to more than 100 soldiers at a Nov. 5 event at the U.S. Army Reserve Command at Fort McPherson.

Self shared stories of combat and leadership-highlighting the stresses of war and the difficulties of returning home while suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

The audience was made up of active-duty soldiers, soldiers in the reserves, as well as contractors and Department of the Army Civilians.

Governor Mike Huckabee interviewed Praevius partner Nate Self and his wife, Julie, recently on the Fox News program, “Huckabee.” Self discussed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its effects, along with the ongoing threat of suicide in our armed forces. Nate and Julie were joined my MG (Ret) Bob Dees, Executive Director of Military Ministry (www.milmin.org), who explained the broad scope of the suicide threat and how to help. He suggested those seeking  help to go to www.ptsdhealing.org.

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Praevius Group’s Nate Self delivered a keynote speech at the GE Veteran’s Network Kickoff Event on March 3rd, 2010.  The event was held at the GE Durham, NC Engine Assembly Plant. GE initiated this program as a way to foster a business culture that recruits, transitions, develops and retains military veterans as an essential talent and leadership pipeline for all of GE. Nate delivered a speech that focused on the need for Veteran’s to support each other in their civilian professions, just as they supported each other as part of a team in the Military.

From newobserver.com:

GE Brings Vets Together

BY DAVID BRACKEN - Staff Writer

DURHAM — It was no accident that General Electric introduced a new companywide support group for veterans at its aviation facility on the edge of Research Triangle Park.

Of the 264 employees who assemble commercial airline engines at the plant, 120 have served in the military, a ratio that is among the highest of any GE facilities.

“It’s a big deal to have launched it here,” said Joe Frazier, 48, a mechanic who spent six years in the Marines before joining GE Aviation 14 years ago.

On Thursday, about 100 veterans from GE Aviation’s facilities in Wilmington, Asheville, West Jefferson and Greenville, S.C., gathered to brainstorm about how to make the company’s new Veterans Network a success.

The network, modeled on similar networks GE has created for African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic and female employees, is designed to act as a support group and a recruiting arm for hiring retiring soldiers. It’s also partly a lobbying arm that can be used to persuade government officials to support projects that would boost business for GE Aviation, including new fighter planes.

Doug McLean, plant leader for the Durham engine facility, said most of the existing GE networks are dominated by salaried employees. About two-thirds of the veterans group is expected to be hourly workers.

About one of every 14 of GE’s more than 320,000 employees worldwide are veterans. The company employs about 5,000 in North Carolina, including 1,300 at GE Aviation.

For the employees in Durham, the new network will formalize a lot of the work they already do, including organizing a Veterans Day parade every November.

Rodney “Gunny” Wagner, a former Marine and one of the main organizers of that event, said the most useful aspect of GE’s veterans network is likely to be the digital link that will be created for all the company’s veterans. If a veteran needs assistance or advice, all they will have to do is send a request to network members.

Jerry Robinson works in Asheville for GE Aviation and drove to the event Thursday with more than 20 other veterans.

“It’s great,” Robinson said of the network. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

The day’s events emphasized the unique bond among veterans, and how the character and discipline that the military demands are equally important in civilian life.

Among the highlights were speeches by Air Force Gen. Charles A. Horner, the air commander for the 1991 Persian Gulf War, and Nate Self, an Army Ranger captain who was awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his actions during a daring mountain rescue in Afghanistan in 2002.

Self said that the military motto “leave no man behind” should be applied to those returning from the battlefield and that networks like the one being created by GE can help.

“There are so many people that have come back from this war and other wars that have been left behind,” he said. “What they need is support.”

Horner said he’d heard from veterans who felt as if they missed out because they had not served during a time of conflict. He said that’s the wrong way to look at military service.

“It’s not what you do in the military,” he said. “It’s the fact that you were in the military.”

david.bracken@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4548