Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Larregui, in charge of the volleyball station, gives the participants some explanations during the annual Resiliency Olympics at the SHAPE Fitness Center Sept. 19, 2019, on SHAPE, Belgium. (U.S. Army photo by Christophe Morel)

Resiliency Olympics to mitigate suicide risk

Chièvres, Belgium -- U.S. Army Garrison Benelux hosted the annual Resiliency Olympics at the SHAPE Fitness Center Sept. 19, 2019, on SHAPE, Belgium. The event focused on building participants’ resiliency skills and mitigating the risk of suicide. This year’s theme was “Small Steps Save Lives”.

In observance of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, the Army Substance Abuse Program staff put together this event to help participants strengthen their physical, social, spiritual and emotional building skills through different activities including volleyball, basketball, tug-o’-war, volleyball, and charades.

Team members were randomly selected and chosen from installation tenants and garrison units. In the competition, teams scored points by using the skills they had been taught earlier in the day. “We try to make sure they get the message, play the game and exercises and just have the spiritual connection to each other and learn from the game and know how to connect that to resiliency,” said Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Larregui, in charge of the volleyball station.  

Ten years ago, when Larregui was in Afghanistan, a Soldier committed suicide. “At that moment he didn’t show a lot of signs, we lost him. Hopefully by sharing this experience, everybody can learn from it,” he said. “We can use steps: ask, care, and escort the person to somebody else,” he added.

By Christophe Morel, USAG Benelux Public Affairs