The state of Montana holds the unfortunate distinction of having one of the highest rates of suicides amongst veterans in the nation. As part of our commitment to honoring veterans and serving our community, we are providing suicide prevention training. Space is limited. Everyone from the community is welcome. Coffee and donuts provided.
Speaker: Colonel Glen L. Bloomstrom (Ret)
In 2011 Glen culminated his 30 years of active duty with 18 months of his final 36 months as part of Joint Special Operations Task Forces in the Central Command Area of Operations supporting combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2015 he developed and facilitated the Professional Development Training Course: “Pastoral Care in Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention” to Navy chaplaincy personnel worldwide. In 2016 he developed a post-graduate certificate course focused on PTSD, moral injury and suicide intervention for chaplains attending the Joint Special Operations University in Tampa Florida. In 2019, he was a plenary speaker at the American Association of Suicidology annual conference and the Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition.
From 1995-2008, following post-graduate education Glen specialized in chaplain training in soldier, marriage and family ministry. Assigned to the Pentagon, as Action Officer and Director of Ministry Initiatives for the Chief of Chaplains and later to the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This ministry phase focused on strategic initiative development, lessons learned and research on marriage and family programs, deployment support, combat stress and suicide intervention programs including the initial development, oversight and implementation of the Army’s Strong Bonds program that evolved from a unit best practice, to a multi- component marriage resilience program that included research by the National Institutes of Health.
From 1982-1995 Glen’s operational assignments included units of the 82nd Airborne Division, 10th Special Forces Group, 75th Ranger Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, at battalion, brigade and division levels, with combat support for the invasion of Grenada, peacekeeping in Egypt and combat in Panama.
His military awards include: the Bronze Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion Of Merit, Combat Action Badge, Ranger Tab and the Master Parachutist Badge with Combat Star.