Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel
Dr. Yira Muse is a retired Colonel in the United States Air Force. She holds a doctorate with a scholarly focus on hope, a subject that carries personal weight from her years in uniform. During her military career, Dr. Muse experienced the devastating loss of fellow soldiers to suicide, a tragedy that fundamentally shaped her commitment to prevention and intervention. She now teaches a suicide prevention program, bringing both academic rigor and deeply personal understanding to the work.
As a board member of The Eight Fifty Committee, Dr. Muse’s background in military leadership, her academic credentials, and her lived experience with the consequences of inadequate support systems make her an essential voice in the organization’s mission. Her presence on the board directly strengthens the organization’s credibility and capacity in suicide prevention programming.
