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As suicides rise, US military seeks to address mental health

People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) People pose for a photo during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) Dionne Williamson, of Patuxent River, Md., get Woody ready before her riding lesson at Cloverleaf Equine Center in Clifton, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, the Navy lieutenant commander experienced disorientation, depression, memory loss and chronic exhaustion. As the Pentagon seeks to confront spiraling suicide rates in the military ranks, Williamson’s experiences shine a light on the realities for service members seeking mental health help. She eventually found stability through a monthlong hospitalization and a therapeutic program that incorporates horseback riding. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Dionne Williamson, right, of Patuxent River, Md., takes instruction from Equine Coordinator Clarice Gutman, left, during a riding lesson at Cloverleaf Equine Center in Clifton, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Williamson felt emotionally numb. As the Pentagon seeks to confront spiraling suicide rates in the military ranks, Williamson’s experiences shine a light on the realities for service members seeking mental health help. For most, simply acknowledging their difficulties can be intimidating. And what comes next can be frustrating and dispiriting. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Dionne Williamson, of Patuxent River, Md., participates in a riding lesson at Cloverleaf Equine Center in Clifton, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Williamson felt emotionally numb. “It’s like I lost me somewhere,” said the Navy lieutenant commander, who experienced disorientation, depression, memory loss and chronic exhaustion. She eventually found stability through a monthlong hospitalization and a therapeutic program that incorporates horseback riding. But she had to fight for years to get the help she needed. “It's a wonder how I made it through,” she said. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Dionne Williamson, of Patuxent River, Md., prepares for her riding lesson on Woody at Cloverleaf Equine Center in Clifton, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Williamson felt emotionally numb. She eventually found stability through a monthlong hospitalization and a therapeutic program that incorporates horseback riding. But she had to fight for years to get the help she needed. “It's a wonder how I made it through,” she said. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Dionne Williamson, right, of Patuxent River, Md., participates in a riding lesson at Cloverleaf Equine Center in Clifton, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, as Equine Coordinator Clarice Gutman, left, works with another rider. After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Williamson, experienced disorientation, depression, memory loss and chronic exhaustion. “It’s like I lost me somewhere,” said the Navy lieutenant commander. After fighting for years to get the help she needed, she eventually found stability through a monthlong hospitalization and a therapeutic program that incorporates horseback riding. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Participants, members of the armed services, and crews of the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament are seen on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) Captain John Moline, right, poses for a photo with others during the annual ASYMCA Alaska Combat Fishing Tournament on May 25, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. The tournament, which began in 2007 and now involves more than 300 soldiers, includes a day of deep-water fishing followed by a celebratory banquet with prizes for the largest catch, smallest catch and soldier who got the sickest. (Armed Services YMCA via AP) Dionne Williamson, of Patuxent River, Md., grooms Woody before her riding lesson at Cloverleaf Equine Center in Clifton, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Williamson felt emotionally numb. She eventually found stability through a monthlong hospitalization and a therapeutic program that incorporates horseback riding. But she had to fight for years to get the help she needed. “It's a wonder how I made it through,” she said. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Dionne Williamson, of Patuxent River, Md., grooms Woody before her riding lesson at Cloverleaf Equine Center in Clifton, Va., Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. After finishing a tour in Afghanistan in 2013, Williamson felt emotionally numb. As the Pentagon seeks to confront spiraling suicide rates in the military ranks, Williamson’s experiences shine a light on the realities for service members seeking mental health help. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
As suicides rise, US military seeks to address mental health