Research Proposal Revised Jessica Hailey

11 March 2014
ENGL 1102

1. Inquiry Question: How does the separation of family contribute to distress in
Reserves versus Active Duty Air Force? Are the rates significantly different?
Why?
2. Purpose:
There are many stressors military members face as a whole. In the Air Force, the
majority of our stressors are abstract compared to other branches. The Marines
have a signature of mastering mind over matter by training hard to keep
themselves in shape and combat-ready. The Army/Coast Guard does similar
combat drills, but isnt as intense. Their mission is more focused on maintaining
and occupying operations as needed. The Navys requirements for entry have
increased, now demanding that all its members must know how to swim. For the
majority who live on ships, their mission is to occupy the waters. Each branch
have very unique stressors, missions and goals, but one thing in common every
military member struggles with regardless of their creed: being away from
family.
My goal is to explore how separation anxiety affects Active Duty in comparison
to Reserves Airmen.
3. Fact Questions:
How much training is required to prevent suicide in the Air Force?
How often is the training required?
Has the rate of suicide attempts lessened since training was implemented?
What career field is mostly affected by depression/suicidal thoughts?
What are the mindsets of Airmen stationed close to home like in comparison
to those who are far away?

4. 2 Sources:
Air Force Suicide Prevention Program/AFPAM 44-160: Published and
released in April 2001, this handbook was submitted to heighten the
awareness of the suicide rate more profoundly amongst Active Duty and
Reserves Airmen. It is packed with alarming information, such as, in the
beginning of the 1990s, about 24% of Airmen committed suicide. It also
breaks down the Air Forces proposal to help reduce the suicide rate. This
include additional training, so that Airmen would be mindful that the issue is
not an alien one and Airmen who may struggle with suicidal thoughts can get
help with no penalty. http://dmna.ny.gov/suicideprevention/AFPAM44-
160.pdf
Adolescent Brain Development by Jeannie Van Stultz, PhD: In trying to
figure out what makes a person want to commit suicide, I thought it might be
important to get a perspective on what most likely happens in the minds of
most young Airmen. When I was in Active Duty, I realized that the majority
of us joined almost immediately after high school. The majority of my peers
in boot camp were 18 or 19 years old. Well over 80% of us were in our
adolescence stage. As for the distinct few, many of them were in their late
20s. I also thought it was interesting that the older Airmen entered the Air
Force to become a part of the Reserves as compared to us who were
adolescent; the majority of 18 through early 20 year olds were Active Duty
enlistees. In Dr. Von Stultzs lecture, she brings up very distinctive points
about the decision-making and critical thinking process of adolescent people. I
primarily found this video most interesting because from my personal
experience in Active Duty as well as the Reserves, I can see how most of her
claims are true. She expounds on how more developed adults often make
decisions through more in depth thought, whereas the majority of adolescent
individuals make decisions based off emotion and are often times impulsive.
In boot camp, the way older Airmen thought, trained and reacted was subtler
than adolescent Airmen. This made me wonder, did they know something that
we didnt know? I used to wonder why they signed up for part-time military
when they can make more money on Active Duty (so I thought). *Sense they
were more developed and had more experience before they chose to be apart
of the Air Force, did they understand what was more important to them
compared to us? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl-R5vtERj8
5. Working Knowledge:
After discussing my topic and the direction I was going in with my group in class,
my peers helped me come up with a more concrete stressor to study: being away
from family while on Active Duty versus Reserves orders. I think this ties in
perfectly with the study of distress, and ultimately suicide. One of my peers in
particular told me to think of the difference in a persons mindset when they know
when something is going to end, in opposed to those who dont know when they
will be able to go home. In the original submission, I wrote of how I interview 4
people to help get me in the right direction of having something more concrete.
Each of the Air Force affiliates I spoke with had one thing in common: they
valued family. Even as the Chaplain led over 200 Airmen in prayer at this past
weekends promotion ceremony, I noticed he prayed longer for the families of all
Airmen than anything else. When I interviewed an Active Duty spouse, she told
me one of her husbands coworkers committed suicide because he kept getting
rejected to take leave to see his family back home. Im glad I have more direction
now, but all at once, I wonder how to fit the adolescent piece in my paper now. I
still think its relevant, but Im confident the more I brainstorm; Ill be able to
connect the idea.