Refreshing the Force
By: Shane Baglini Tuesday, October 4, 2022 10:00 AM
Refreshing the Force
Content Warning: The following contains descriptions of suicidal ideations and mentions a suicide attempt. This content may be triggering to some readers. If you, or someone you know, are having thoughts of suicide or are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 9-8-8 on any phone to be connected with someone who can help.
Mother, fiance, decorated veteran, student, graduate, survivor. Alejandra (Alee) Long is all of these things. Long is a mother to four children, recently engaged, a Master Sergeant and Senior Human Resources Sergeant in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard (PAARNG), a 20-year military veteran with tours of duty in Afghanistan, a Bronze Star recipient and a graduate of Muhlenberg College’s Master’s in Organizational Leadership program and Accelerated Bachelor’s of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources.
Long is also a survivor of suicidal ideations while serving overseas. Long herself is a trained Suicide Intervention Officer (SIO) and a Casualty Notification Officer (CNO). In those roles, among many life-shaping incidents, she has informed grief-stricken mothers of their son’s suicide and held her Non-Commissioned Officer and best friend in her arms after an unsuccessful suicide attempt, leading her down a path directed toward helping others overcome their own ideations and struggles.
Suicide and suicidal ideations are issues with which Long can identify closely. “I fought suicidal ideations in Afghanistan, and I was able to combat that through my religion and the support mechanisms I had there,” said Long. “I had a soldier who flew down from Kabul to Kandahar – my training officer – because she knew I was in distress and having these thoughts. I now call her my sister.”
Upon returning home from Afghanistan in August of 2015, Long intervened with her training officer's suicide attempt after receiving a concerning text message from her long-time friend. “She had been showing the very textbook signs that she wanted not to be here.” Based on her training, Long took it upon herself to go to her friend’s house, where she found her unresponsive. After taking several steps to revive her, Long called 9-1-1. “They dispatched me to Bethlehem because that’s where my phone was linked. Her address is an Allentown address, so they sent me to Allentown. She lives in Salisbury [Township], so they sent me to Salisbury,” a still frustrated Long explained. It took Long more than five minutes to connect with the appropriate EMS dispatch location and another fifteen minutes for emergency personnel to arrive.
“As an SIO myself, I had no idea I could be dispatched to a 9-1-1 call center other than the one I called when I intervened in her attempt,” said Long. “I wanted current and future SIOs to have a playbook, to be prepared for something like that to happen.”
Thus was born Long’s inspiration for her Muhlenberg College Graduate Capstone project titled Refreshing the Force: Refresher Training for Suicide Intervention Officers. Long’s objective was to develop a refresher course for trained Suicide Intervention Officers in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Most SIOs, including Long, received training years ago but have not been retrained with current best practices since 2012. The training curriculum used to teach the SIO course has not been updated, and the materials, resources and personnel that the SIOs were trained on in the latest models are no longer relevant.
As part of the Master’s in Organizational Leadership program at Muhlenberg College, students must complete a capstone research project, which serves as a culminating experience and utilizes the skills and theories learned in the program. Dr. Bernadine Douglas, an instructor in the program and a capstone mentor, assists in directing students and providing guidance throughout the research process.
“Alee’s capstone project came at a time in her life when she encountered major changes that would probably have compelled someone else in her position to take on a less challenging project or possibly even postpone her capstone altogether,” said Douglas. “But Alee is a force in and of herself. She faced her challenges with thorough inquisitiveness, tenacity and compassion. I’m proud to have played a small part in her successful project.”
When she got the idea for Refreshing the Force, Long approached her longtime friend, Sergeant First Class (SFC) Jose Lopez of the PAARNG, for his input on the project. “When she first came to me, I thought I was probably too busy for this project,” said Lopez. “But I’ve known Alee for many years, and knowing the type of person she is, I became more and more excited to assist her.”
SFC Lopez serves as the State of Pennsylvania’s Resilience Coordinator, providing service members with not only the training to intervene in a potential suicide situation but also teaching soldiers the resilience skills to face the issues they may be dealing with and seek help when they need it.
“Alee would do anything for you. She would give the shirt off her back if she had to,” said Lopez. “Just thinking about her brings a smile to my face; the love she has for her friends and family and her drive to better her life, and others’ lives is incredible.”
With the guidance of Douglas, Long and Lopez worked closely together over a period of 18 months to develop a plan for Refreshing the Force. Earlier this year, the program received funding from the PAARNG and is scheduled to begin retraining Suicide Intervention Officers in 2023. “This program is going to have a great impact on not only our soldiers but their family members, their communities and as many people as we can reach,” said Lopez.
The same friend who intervened in Long’s time of crisis and whose own suicide attempt Long would eventually intervene with was in attendance in August to watch Long present her capstone research to the Muhlenberg College community and her family and friends. “I let her know that she was a significant part of why I chose this topic and this project,” said Long. “Just to show that you can come out on the other side.”
Long knows overcoming suicidal ideations is a lifelong challenge. “When you look at [she and I], we’re very strong-willed people, and whatever box you want to put us in, whether it be women or Latinas or mothers or NCOs or soldiers, we’re it,” said Long. “You would never think, ‘wow, she had that thought or that ideation,’ but it shows you never know what is going on in someone’s life, and everyone should have the tools they need to help in that situation.”
Alejandra Long will receive her Master’s in Organizational leadership from Muhlenberg College on Sunday, October 16, when she will also serve as the graduate commencement speaker at Muhlenberg’s October Commencement Ceremony.
For more information and additional resources, please visit 988lifeline.org.
About the Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies
The Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies offers a variety of post-baccalaureate certificates and master’s degrees aimed at enhancing intellectual and career development through challenging coursework grounded in the liberal arts. With a mix of graduate certificate pathways and master’s degrees aligned with workforce and economic trends, the Muhlenberg College School of Graduate Studies enables students to prepare for professional work and career advancement, with a focus on leadership and innovation.