# Effectiveness Trial of Wingman-Connect Implemented Across Career Phases

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER · 2024 · $1,442,522

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 Military suicide rates increased 61% from 2008 – 2019 and rates have increased faster in the U.S. Air
Force (USAF) compared to other branches. Currently, the predominant military suicide prevention approach is
to try to remediate suicide risk after suicidal individuals are identified. No RCT-validated universal programs
shown to reduce vulnerability to suicide are in wide use. To fill this gap, the Wingman-Connect Program is a
group-based intervention that strengthens protective relationship networks and skills for managing career and
personal challenges, to reduce vulnerability to suicide across the broad USAF population. This proposed
Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation trial tests the effectiveness of the Wingman-Connect Program on
individual suicide risk and on base-level suicide attempts. We will examine theory-driven mediators and
moderators and implementation of the program as delivered by US Air Force (not research) personnel under
real world conditions across 2 sequential early career phases. This effectiveness study is the critical next stage
in the translational pipeline toward large-scale roll-out to prevent suicide deaths. To rigorously test
effectiveness, we co-developed with USAF partners a 2-stage randomized design. (1) The first stage of
randomization will be at Initial Technical Training, in which 396 classes of USAF personnel will be
randomized to Wingman-Connect or to an active control (N=2,970 Airmen) and followed for one year. These
classes send a high proportion of graduates to 8 operational bases. (2) The second stage of randomization will
occur among these 8 operational bases, which will be randomized in pairs to start implementing WC at 4-
month intervals (stepped wedge design). Once WC has been initiated at each base, all entering first-term
Airmen will receive WC, with ~17,400 total Airmen trained across all bases. This 2-stage design will yield
robust, multi-level effectiveness findings.
Aim 1: Test effectiveness of WC on reducing (a) self-reported suicide risk and (b) base-level
rates of suicide attempts. We will evaluate (a) individual level outcomes of suicide risk, depression, and
occupational problems up to 1 yr; and (b) base-level administrative records of suicide attempts.
Aim 2: Evaluate theory-proposed network health mediators and moderators. WC is expected to
increase Airmen's positive social bonds, group cohesion, morale, and healthy coping norms in their social
networks; those changes will contribute to reduced suicide risk, depression and occupational problems.
Aim 3: Examine implementation determinants and mechanisms, and refine Implementation
Package. Key implementation outcomes will be USAF implementers' fidelity delivering WC (n=24-30) and
engagement in training/technical support. Implementer fidelity and engagement is expected to be predicted by
base implementation climate and WC embeddedness into base communications and support activities.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10908673
- **Project number:** 5R01MH131738-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter A Wyman
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,442,522
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-16 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10908673

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10908673, Effectiveness Trial of Wingman-Connect Implemented Across Career Phases (5R01MH131738-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10908673. Licensed CC0.

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