TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- This September, Team Tinker observes Suicide Prevention Month by reinforcing a simple, enduring message: every member of the community matters, and help is always within reach.
A central theme emphasized across the installation this year is the willingness to "make it weird"—a concept championed by 72nd Air Base Wing leadership that encourages Airmen, civilian employees, and families to step past social hesitation, lean into awkward or uncomfortable moments, and check on one another when something feels off.
Chaplain Corps leadership recently shared a story that illustrates the impact of this approach. During a past assignment, a chapel team member noticed an individual who normally presented as sharp and composed arriving with subtle signs of distress and uncharacteristic disarray. Rather than looking away to avoid an awkward encounter, the staff member pulled the individual aside privately and asked a direct, caring question: "Are you doing okay?"
That single, deliberate question broke through the surface. The member confided that mounting domestic crises, compounding financial hardships, and unpaid utilities had pushed them to an overwhelming mental health crisis. Because someone chose to step outside the standard script, the chapel community mobilized volunteers to provide immediate practical support, coordinated household relief, and connected the member with professional financial counseling and mental health care before the crisis escalated.
This principle of proactive connection is also the focus of this month’s keynote guest speaker, Melissa Hanks Ketchel, a Gold Star sister, veteran advocate, and Founder/President of the MWH Legacy Foundation. Drawing from two decades of advocacy following the loss of her brother in military action, Ketchel will present practical strategies for having meaningful, potentially life-saving conversations across the force.
Suicide Prevention Month Key Events
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Event
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Date & Time
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Details / Platform
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72nd Medical Group Mental Health Forum
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Tuesday, Sept. 8, from 9 to 10 a.m.
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Installation medical and mental health briefing & resource forum
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Tinker Rec Fest
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Friday, Sept. 18, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Team-building events, resilience activities, and community building
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Guest Speaker: Melissa Hanks Ketchel
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Sept. 28 & 29
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On-base sessions & Microsoft Teams broadcast (details via base email)
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Leadership Walkabouts
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Throughout September
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On-base sessions & Microsoft Teams broadcast (details via base email)
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Installation Resources & Support
Building a culture of care means making help-seeking a standard part of everyday mission operations. Support services are available year-round across Tinker Air Force Base:
- 72nd Medical Group Mental Health Clinic: Active-duty counseling, evaluations, and crisis referrals.
- Tinker Chaplain Corps: 100% confidential counseling and spiritual care for all service members, civilians, and families.
- Support Networks: Military & Family Readiness Center, Employee Assistance Program, and the Integrated Resilience Office.
- Digital Access: Support agencies are searchable via the Team Tinker App and online at tinker.af.mil.