Cooper, who has been at Hill since 2008, spent a considerable amount of his command time trying to staunch the rising tide of suicides at Hill. Six members of "Team Hill" are suspected to have killed themselves so far this year. Last year, at least eight workers at the base took their own lives, a rate of self-inflicted death that is significantly higher than the rate in Utah as a whole -- which is already significantly higher than the national average, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Some of the victims' families and fellow employees have said working conditions in the 309th Maintenance Wing have been a factor in the deaths.

In an interview with The Tribune last year, Cooper said that extensive investigations, conducted following each suicide, show most of the victims were dealing with problems unrelated to their work at Hill. But unlike several officers in his command who had staunchly denied Hill's work environment played any part in the deaths, Cooper left open the possibility that work issues could have had "some role" in the fact that Hill's suicide rate suicides.

While that acknowledgement was welcomed by those who have challenged the Air Force's handling of the issue, it only came in the wake of pretty damning evidence.

Donald Cleavenger killed himself in an aircraft hangar after receiving a poor performance review on the last day of 2008. Three months later, Joni Berriochoa killed herself at her home, leaving behind a journal labeled "Joni's Hell," in which she described problems she was having with her manager.

Hill employees also say that Cooper got an earful about sexual harassment, managerial misconduct and workplace safety violations in his wing as he held meetings with employees to talk about the suicide crisis.
In the Tribune interview, Cooper called the suicide issue "a very difficult challenge"- and said that he had been personally saddened by each death. He said that he realized that he couldn't end the crisis by himself and that he had asked his workers for their help.

"Basically, it's become a plea from me to the employees to help the person next to you," he said.