Sheppard AFB Integrated Primary Prevention and Resilience Office

09/05/2026

Most people don't announce it. They show it.

Warning signs tend to land in three places:

TALK. Talking about killing themselves, having no reason to live, being a burden to others, feeling trapped, or experiencing unbearable pain.

BEHAVIOR. Increased alcohol or drug use, withdrawing from activities, isolating from family and friends, sleeping too much or too little, visiting or calling people to say goodbye, giving away prized possessions, aggression, acting recklessly, or looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching online for materials or means.

MOOD. Depression, anxiety, loss of interest, irritability, humiliation, rage.

These signs may mean a person needs help. You don't have to be sure, and you don't have to have the right words. Ask directly, stay with them, and connect them to support.

Call or text 988, then press 1 Available 24/7.
Resilience Starts Here. Many Agencies. One Goal.

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

💜 September is Su***de Prevention Awareness Month 💜

For our family, su***de prevention is not something we recognize for just one month of the year. It is personal. It is our mission. And it is a promise we made to our son, Brandon.

On June 25, 2018, we lost AE3 Brandon Caserta while he was serving in the United States Navy. From that unimaginable loss came a promise: we would do everything in our power to help ensure that another service member never feels trapped, unheard, or afraid to ask for help.

That promise became The Brandon Act. But passing a law was never the finish line.

There are still service members, veterans, first responders, and civilians suffering silently because they fear being judged, considered weak, damaging their careers, burdening their families, or simply not being believed.

We have to change that.

Su***de prevention isn't just about recognizing warning signs after someone reaches a crisis. It is about creating a culture where people feel safe enough to speak before they reach that point.

It means listening when someone says they are struggling.

It means taking them seriously. It means making mental health care accessible. It means checking on the person who always says, “I'm fine.” And it means understanding that asking for help is an act of strength, not weakness.

This September, I ask you to do more than share a su***de prevention graphic.

Check on someone. Listen without judgment. Learn the warning signs. Know where to find help. And remind the people in your life that their life has value.

To every service member who is struggling: The Brandon Act gives you a pathway to request a mental health evaluation. Please use it. YOU deserve to be heard. YOU deserve care. And YOU matter.

And to our military leaders: when a service member finds the courage to say “I need help,” listen to them. Protect them. Get them the care they need. Never make them regret asking.

We cannot bring Brandon back. But we can continue saying his name. We can continue fighting for change. And we can continue reaching for the person who may still be deciding whether tomorrow is worth seeing.

There is hope. There is help. And you are never alone.

💜 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988
For Veterans and service members, call 988 and press 1, or text 838255.

💙 Live as Brandon lived with Honor • Respect • Patience • Kindness

***depreventionmonth ***deprevention

09/03/2026

You don't need to have all the answers. You just need to be willing to notice, ask, and connect someone to help

09/03/2026

You don't need special training to help someone who's struggling. The Air Force's ACE model breaks it down into three steps anyone can use.

Ask directly. "Are you thinking about su***de?" Asking this question does not plant the idea, it opens the door.

Care. Listen without judgment. You don't need the right words, you need to be present.

Es**rt. Walk them to help. Don't leave them alone. Connect them to a chaplain, MFLC, BHOP, or the 988 Lifeline.

Save this post. You never know when you'll need it.

988 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline | Military Crisis Line: 988, press 1 | Crisis Text Line: text 741741