Suicide PreventionNCT05973942
Population Impact of Wingman-Connect Implemented by the US Air Force
A study testing Wingman-Connect in people with Suicide Prevention, run by University of Rochester at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study involves collection of implementation data and analysis of USAF de-identified administrative data on base-level suicide attempt rates following US Air Force (USAF) delivery of Wingman-Connect training at 8 operational AF bases, as part of a force-wide scale out of the program. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Suicide Prevention
- What is being tested?
- Wingman-Connect
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 17,400 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 13 Aug 2024to 31 Aug 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Data from bases in the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) \& Air Mobility Command (AMC) MajComs.
- 96 implementers (4-5 per base over at each data point, and 8-12 respondents per site across the study period)
Who cannot join
- none
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
This study involves collection of implementation data and analysis of USAF de-identified administrative data on base-level suicide attempt rates following US Air Force (USAF) delivery of Wingman-Connect training at 8 operational AF bases, as part of a force-wide scale out of the program. Implementation of Wingman-Connect by the USAF will occur over 51 months. The AF has agreed to stagger implementation based on a randomized stepped-wedge design. Once Wingman-Connect has been initiated at each base, all entering first-term Airmen will receive Wingman-Connect, with ~17,400 total Airmen receiving Wingman-Connect across all bases.
Implementation. The study will directly collect data from USAF prevention personnel who are involved in the delivery of the intervention to measure fidelity and measure implementation barriers and facilitators. These base-level data are essential to test Wingman-Connect impact on suicide attempt rates in a general USAF population, to study Wingman-Connect diffusion, and to refine implementation processes and tools.
Suicide Rates. Bases routinely provide their base-wide suicide attempt rates to the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency (AFMRA). AFMRA will provide these routinely-collected aggregate administrative data to this study in order to analyze changes in base-level suicide attempt rates (USAF administrative data) among the 8 bases.
Read the detailed description
The US Air Force is putting into regular practice the Wingman-Connect Program in the context of First Term Airmen Courses (FTAC) across all 68 operational bases, beginning with 8 bases in two Major Commands (AFGSC, AMC). University of Rochester researchers will provide facilitator training and ongoing fidelity monitoring. Wingman-Connect uses a network health theoretical framework to strengthen two suicide-protective functions of social networks: 1) Strengthening positive social bonds, and 2) Building healthy norms that incentivize adaptive coping. Implementation of Wingman-Connect by the USAF will occur over 51 months. The AF has agreed to stagger implementation based on a randomized stepped-wedge design. Pairs of bases will begin implementation of the program in all FTAC at 3 months intervals and continue over a 51 month total period. Data collection will begin with the start of implementation at each base.
Implementation. The study will directly collect data from USAF prevention personnel who are involved in the delivery of the intervention to measure fidelity and measure implementation barriers and facilitators at each location. Prevention personnel will complete measures every 6 months. Due to turnover of personnel (training site administrators every 6 months) we anticipate 8-12 individual respondents per site across the study period, and 4-6 respondents at each site per data point, for a possible total of N=96 respondents. These participants are also expected to reflect the demographics of the USAF as a whole. Measures will include base climate, uptake of program, USAF implementers' fidelity delivering Wingman-Connect and engagement in training/technical support.
Suicide Rates. Bases routinely provide their base-wide suicide attempt rates to the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency (AFMRA). To test effectiveness of Wingman-Connect delivered by the USAF on these bases, the AFMRA will provide these routinely-collected aggregate administrative data to this study in order to analyze changes in base-level suicide attempt rates (USAF administrative data) among the 8 bases. AFMRA will provide suicide attempt and suicidal behavior data for Airmen of E1-E4 ranks (incoming first term Airmen) on each base every 6 months.
- Conditions
- Suicide Prevention
- Being tested
- Wingman-Connect
- Keywords
- military, suicide rates
- Medical subject headings
- Suicide Prevention
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Wingman-ConnectBehavioural
Training occurs in three 2-hr blocks over several days. Targeted Skills focus on protective factors (Four Cores) supportive of mental health, theoretically linked to reduced suicide risk, and essential to an Airmen's job success: (1) Healthy relationships and accountability spanning USAF and family/intimate relationships (Kinship); (2) Meaning and value in work and life (Purpose), (3) Informal and formal help-seeking (Guidance); and (4) Activities that give strength and balance emotions (Balance). Activities progress from individual to group skill-building activities. Kinship modules at operational base (FTAC) expand focus on growing and sustaining relationships with intimate partners, friends, and family; and Guidance more on senior mentors at work.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Wingman-Connect | Experimental | Wingman-Connect (Wyman et al., 2020) uses a network health theoretical framework to strengthen two suicide-protective functions of social networks: 1) Strengthening positive social bonds, and 2) Building healthy norms that incentivize adaptive coping. Training will be delivered in First Term Airmen classes among all Airmen arriving at base during the study period. Receives: Behavioral: Wingman-Connect |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Total Number Base level suicide attempts among Ranks E1-4
Suicide attempt data for the total population of junior Airmen on each base will be collected from the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency (AFMRA) through our study sponsor Office of Integrated Resilience (HAF/A1Z). Suicide attempt data is compiled using ICD-10 codes for patient encounters across multiple sources including records from direct-care within Air Force medical systems (CAPER, SIDR, M2).
Measured: 4 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Aug 2023
- Study start13 Aug 2024
- Primary completion28 Feb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Aug 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Suicide PreventionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of RochesterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Model description
- Stepped Wedge. The US Air Force is implementing Wingman-Connect (Wyman et al, 2020) in collaboration with University of Rochester researchers in the context of First Term Airmen Classes (FTAC) across 8 operational bases. The AF has agreed to stagger implementation based on randomization informed by a stepped-wedge design. Wingman-Connect training will be rolled out at 8 USAF bases in pairs at 3 month intervals and will continue for a total of 51 months.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 17,400 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Rochester
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Peter A. Wyman, University of Rochester
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05973942
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00008550
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Jul 2023
- Last updated
- 6 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified data on base-level suicide attempts will be made available at the NIMH Data Archive (NDA). Any coding used to manipulate data (create categories, scales) will be done in either SPSS or R and this code will also be provided via NDA or github.
Publications
Wyman PA, Pickering TA, Pisani AR, Cero I, Yates B, Schmeelk-Cone K, Hendricks Brown C, Gibbons RD, Simonson J, Pflanz SE. Wingman-Connect Program increases social integration for Air Force personnel at elevated suicide risk: Social network analysis of a cluster RCT. Soc Sci Med. 2022 Mar;296:114737. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114737. Epub 2022 Jan 22.
PubMed 35131614Wyman PA, Pisani AR, Brown CH, Yates B, Morgan-DeVelder L, Schmeelk-Cone K, Gibbons RD, Caine ED, Petrova M, Neal-Walden T, Linkh DJ, Matteson A, Simonson J, Pflanz SE. Effect of the Wingman-Connect Upstream Suicide Prevention Program for Air Force Personnel in Training: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Oct 1;3(10):e2022532. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.22532.
PubMed 33084901
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Population Impact of Wingman-Connect Implemented by the US Air Force
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05973942
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY00008550
- Conditions
- Suicide Prevention
- Keywords
- military, suicide rates
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 17,400 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of RochesterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 13 Aug 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 28 Feb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Aug 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 3 Aug 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study involves collection of implementation data and analysis of USAF de-identified administrative data on base-level suicide attempt rates following US Air Force (USAF) delivery of Wingman-Connect training at 8 operational AF bases, as part of a force-wide scale out of the program. Implementation of Wingman-Connect by the USAF will occur over 51 months. The AF has agreed to stagger implementation based on a randomized stepped-wedge design. Once Wingman-Connect has been initiated at each base, all entering first-term Airmen will receive Wingman-Connect, with ~17,400 total Airmen receiving Wingman-Connect across all bases.
Implementation. The study will directly collect data from USAF prevention personnel who are involved in the delivery of the intervention to measure fidelity and measure implementation barriers and facilitators. These base-level data are essential to test Wingman-Connect impact on suicide attempt rates in a general USAF population, to study Wingman-Connect diffusion, and to refine implementation processes and tools.
Suicide Rates. Bases routinely provide their base-wide suicide attempt rates to the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency (AFMRA). AFMRA will provide these routinely-collected aggregate administrative data to this study in order to analyze changes in base-level suicide attempt rates (USAF administrative data) among the 8 bases.
Detailed description
The US Air Force is putting into regular practice the Wingman-Connect Program in the context of First Term Airmen Courses (FTAC) across all 68 operational bases, beginning with 8 bases in two Major Commands (AFGSC, AMC). University of Rochester researchers will provide facilitator training and ongoing fidelity monitoring. Wingman-Connect uses a network health theoretical framework to strengthen two suicide-protective functions of social networks: 1) Strengthening positive social bonds, and 2) Building healthy norms that incentivize adaptive coping. Implementation of Wingman-Connect by the USAF will occur over 51 months. The AF has agreed to stagger implementation based on a randomized stepped-wedge design. Pairs of bases will begin implementation of the program in all FTAC at 3 months intervals and continue over a 51 month total period. Data collection will begin with the start of implementation at each base.
Implementation. The study will directly collect data from USAF prevention personnel who are involved in the delivery of the intervention to measure fidelity and measure implementation barriers and facilitators at each location. Prevention personnel will complete measures every 6 months. Due to turnover of personnel (training site administrators every 6 months) we anticipate 8-12 individual respondents per site across the study period, and 4-6 respondents at each site per data point, for a possible total of N=96 respondents. These participants are also expected to reflect the demographics of the USAF as a whole. Measures will include base climate, uptake of program, USAF implementers' fidelity delivering Wingman-Connect and engagement in training/technical support.
Suicide Rates. Bases routinely provide their base-wide suicide attempt rates to the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency (AFMRA). To test effectiveness of Wingman-Connect delivered by the USAF on these bases, the AFMRA will provide these routinely-collected aggregate administrative data to this study in order to analyze changes in base-level suicide attempt rates (USAF administrative data) among the 8 bases. AFMRA will provide suicide attempt and suicidal behavior data for Airmen of E1-E4 ranks (incoming first term Airmen) on each base every 6 months.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- Stepped Wedge. The US Air Force is implementing Wingman-Connect (Wyman et al, 2020) in collaboration with University of Rochester researchers in the context of First Term Airmen Classes (FTAC) across 8 operational bases. The AF has agreed to stagger implementation based on randomization informed by a stepped-wedge design. Wingman-Connect training will be rolled out at 8 USAF bases in pairs at 3 month intervals and will continue for a total of 51 months.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Wingman-Connect | Experimental | Behavioral: Wingman-ConnectWingman-Connect (Wyman et al., 2020) uses a network health theoretical framework to strengthen two suicide-protective functions of social networks: 1) Strengthening positive social bonds, and 2) Building healthy norms that incentivize adaptive coping. Training will be delivered in First Term Airmen classes among all Airmen arriving at base during the study period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Data from bases in the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) \& Air Mobility Command (AMC) MajComs.
- 96 implementers (4-5 per base over at each data point, and 8-12 respondents per site across the study period)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- none
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Wingman-ConnectTraining occurs in three 2-hr blocks over several days. Targeted Skills focus on protective factors (Four Cores) supportive of mental health, theoretically linked to reduced suicide risk, and essential to an Airmen's job success: (1) Healthy relationships and accountability spanning USAF and family/intimate relationships (Kinship); (2) Meaning and value in work and life (Purpose), (3) Informal and formal help-seeking (Guidance); and (4) Activities that give strength and balance emotions (Balance). Activities progress from individual to group skill-building activities. Kinship modules at operational base (FTAC) expand focus on growing and sustaining relationships with intimate partners, friends, and family; and Guidance more on senior mentors at work. | Behavioural | Wingman-Connect |
Primary outcome
Total Number Base level suicide attempts among Ranks E1-4
Time frame: 4 years
Suicide attempt data for the total population of junior Airmen on each base will be collected from the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency (AFMRA) through our study sponsor Office of Integrated Resilience (HAF/A1Z). Suicide attempt data is compiled using ICD-10 codes for patient encounters across multiple sources including records from direct-care within Air Force medical systems (CAPER, SIDR, M2).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Feb 2026.
- Background: PubMed 35131614Wyman PA, Pickering TA, Pisani AR, Cero I, Yates B, Schmeelk-Cone K, Hendricks Brown C, Gibbons RD, Simonson J, Pflanz SE. Wingman-Connect Program increases social integration for Air Force personnel at elevated suicide risk: Social network analysis of a cluster RCT. Soc Sci Med. 2022 Mar;296:114737. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114737. Epub 2022 Jan 22.
- Background: PubMed 33084901Wyman PA, Pisani AR, Brown CH, Yates B, Morgan-DeVelder L, Schmeelk-Cone K, Gibbons RD, Caine ED, Petrova M, Neal-Walden T, Linkh DJ, Matteson A, Simonson J, Pflanz SE. Effect of the Wingman-Connect Upstream Suicide Prevention Program for Air Force Personnel in Training: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Oct 1;3(10):e2022532. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.22532.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified data on base-level suicide attempts will be made available at the NIMH Data Archive (NDA). Any coding used to manipulate data (create categories, scales) will be done in either SPSS or R and this code will also be provided via NDA or github.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Wingman-Connect in people with Suicide Prevention, run by University of Rochester at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Total Number Base level suicide attempts among Ranks E1-4 (time frame: 4 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05973942, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Feb 2026.