11/30/2022
Kathleen H. Hicks, deputy secretary of defense, said that the Defense Department is proactively working to foster a healthy environment to reduce problematic and harmful behaviors, including death by suicide. She cited the agency’s new and dedicated primary prevention workforce that is focused on community-based methods.
11/29/2022
The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention office offered a training event focused on how culture influences sexual violence and its prevention.
11/29/2022
Instances of impaired driving rise around the holidays. To highlight this problem, the U.S. designates December as National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month. Making the choice to avoid impairment by drinking in moderation—or not at all—can prevent tragedy in a season synonymous with celebration.
11/28/2022
The Soldier and Family Readiness Division’s Enrichment Center at Fort Drum, in New York, has been a hub of activity since opening in May 2021, offering diverse programs such as weekly playgroups, stress management workshops and classes on healthy cooking, infant CPR and home safety.
11/28/2022
There are five categories of social emotional learning skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. These skills help us cope with our feelings, set goals, develop interpersonal skills and resolve conflict. When people lack these skills, a diminished capacity for understanding others may occur, resulting in victim blaming, coercion, ostracism, sexual harassment and sexual assault.
11/28/2022
Many stressors come with military life, such as heavy workloads, personal safety risks and severed relationships caused by constant moving. Such challenges can lead Soldiers without proper support to engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse. That’s why it is crucial to build and maintain strong relationships—with teammates, Family and friends.
11/28/2022
Ready and Resilient Training has some of the most challenging courses to test participants’ physical fitness. Maneuvering through land navigation obstacles, climbing 64-foot rappel towers and enduring five-hour ruck marches can push a Soldier’s physical and mental limits. And building resilience through physical fitness not only prepares Soldiers for battle but also helps them avoid negative behaviors.
11/28/2022
To more efficiently use performance experts throughout the Army, the Army Resilience Directorate implemented a pilot program to transition these professionals from division or installation-level resources to battalion and brigade-level assets.
11/28/2022
“We must treat suicide with the same urgency as any other major killer,” Vivian Jackson, Army Substance Abuse Program specialist, said at the Suicide Prevention Month observance hosted at Aberdeen Proving Ground. “It’s an everyday task.”
11/28/2022
The definition of being physically fit varies from person to person. For some, it means meeting basic physical activity guidelines, but for others, it means being an Olympic athlete. This wide range also exists within the military, where fitness standards vary between desk workers and Special Operations forces. The good news is that the basic recommendation is the same for all Americans.
11/28/2022
The Army Resilience Directorate will shift to a high-performance coaching model due to the results of the Master Resilience Trainer Course Evaluation and the Embedded Performance Expert Evaluation. The Sky Soldier Toughness initiative provided an opportunity to test this shift. Performance experts conducted a series of trainings to show squad leaders how to improve their coaching by applying psychological skills in everyday contexts with their Soldiers. The goal of this coach education is to build capacity because performance experts are a limited resource.
11/28/2022
Quiet quitting is the practice of reducing the amount of time, effort and commitment an employee dedicates to their job. In the Army, quiet quitting may result in a critical misstep in Soldier and unit readiness. To keep Soldiers engaged, to build team cohesion and to improve strategy and problem-solving, Fort Stewart Resilience Center will provide Master Resiliency courses.
11/23/2022
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center considers its employees the number one priority and embraces a people-centric culture. To uphold this standard, the center appointed Eugene L. Vickers Sr. as diversity, equity and inclusion officer. His role is to ensure that the center is taking action to develop and maintain a diverse workforce and to promote health and wellness initiatives.
11/22/2022
The holidays are right around the corner, and Soldiers looking to provide the perfect Christmas for their Families may be struggling financially to do so. To assist them, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, offers several services and subject-matter experts. Army Community Service and the Transition Assistance Program provide financial counseling, and Soldiers can also consult their brigade-level financial counselor.
11/21/2022
Representatives from the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Academy, Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program gathered at the Lewis and Clark Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to discuss consent and communication of the risks children encounter when using social media.
11/21/2022
The Army is a great proponent of resiliency. And while the holiday season can bring joy and excitement for many, it can also be a sad, stressful time. Stressors include traveling, accommodating visitors, planning large and elaborate meals, buying presents, decorating and coping with feelings of loss for deceased loved ones.
11/17/2022
Inside the Spirit of Fort Hood Chapel, Soldiers, Veterans and civilians worked with several food banks from as far away as Austin to make the holidays a little easier for Families in need. The annual distribution of turkey baskets at Fort Hood, Texas, is among the traditions that uphold the Army values of loyalty, selfless service and personal courage to help people within the community who need it most.
11/16/2022
1st Cavalry Division hosted members of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce at Fort Hood, Texas, to continue building strong relationships within the greater Fort Hood community. Because of the chamber’s interest in learning ways to prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault, a team of troops showcased ideas from the Army’s SHARP program, using real-life scenarios.
11/15/2022
Eleven Soldiers from the Hawaii Army National Guard (HIARNG) graduated from the Unit Prevention Leader (UPL) course, Pearl City, Hawaii. The UPL Certification Training includes instruction on drug testing procedures and illicit drug use prevention. During the training, Soldiers learned about drug testing, responsibilities, policies, forms, referral processes, rehabilitation programs, prevention education activities and separation procedures.
11/15/2022
During the month of November, the DOD celebrates the Month of the Military Family. While Families are the backbone of our fighting force, recent reports show that some military Families are struggling. The 2021 Health of the Army Family report, published by the Army Public Health Center, cites financial stress as the number one stressor for military spouses.
11/08/2022
Liz Clark, Ed.D., has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service as the director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, a component of the Defense Human Resources Activity, attached to the Office of Force Resiliency for policy direction. Clark will oversee the development of DOD nonclinical programs that promote and enhance suicide prevention, intervention and postvention, with the goal of reducing the stigma of seeking treatment and increasing awareness of sources of assistance.
11/08/2022
Army Directive 2022-13 is one of a series whose purpose is to make SHARP reporting easier by streamlining reporting services. It allows the first colonel in the chain of command to issue military protective orders to protect the complainant from the accused and from retaliation from peers. Investigating officers now must be from outside the brigade to ensure transparency and to keep commanding officers from appearing to protect the accused. What’s more, to build faith in the reporting and accountability processes, the directive formalizes publication of the results of Uniform Code of Military Justice actions.
11/08/2022
Sgt. 1st Class Ashley Neago, sexual assault response coordinator with the 15th Military Police Brigade, was recognized as the Army Corrections Command’s Correctional Professional of the Year.
11/07/2022
After returning from service in Baghdad, Iraq, U.S. Army Col. Robert Brutcher, of Lakewood, Ohio, decided to get a doctorate in physiology and pharmacology, focusing on post-traumatic stress (PTS) and substance abuse. He was eager to focus his career on helping other service members fight the struggles and stigmas associated with mental illnesses, including PTS. The pharmacist was recently promoted to colonel, after 18 years of military service.
11/07/2022
The holiday season can be a stressful time for many people – from meal planning and travel itineraries to managing expenses to figuring out who sits where at the dinner table. But members of the community at Fort Drum, in New York, can give themselves the gift that keeps giving by registering for a stress management class at the Army Wellness Center or through the Family Advocacy Program.
