Soldier and Family Fitness Program Hits Fort Meade

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Maryland Gazette
FORT MEADE PAO Correspondent

About 30 brigade and battalion commanders received an introduction to the garrison's resiliency programs during an Army Ready and Resilient Campaign orientation on Jan. 21.

The orientation is required by the Department of the Army, said Chris Thiel, chief of training at the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security. Command teams and joint service commanders also were invited. A previous orientation was held in October.

During the presentation, Garrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley and Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas J. Latter commented on the programs featured.

The orientation included several garrison representatives who gave brief presentations on a wide range of programs, including the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program, a component of the Ready and Resilient Campaign; Master Resilience Training; Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention; Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center's Behavioral Health Department; the Army Substance Abuse Program; and the Army Wellness Center.

CSF2 is a key component of the Ready and Resilient Campaign and focuses on five dimensions of strength: physical, family, social, emotional and spiritual.

Staff Sgt. Levon Moody, a small-group leader at the Signal Corps Regimental NCO Academy Detachment, is Fort George G. Meade's CSF2 program manager. Moody told the participants that one of the goals of the program is to "help our soldiers and families cope with the issues they may have when arriving at a new duty station."

An important part of CSF2 is Master Resilience Training, which is targeted to drill sergeants, squad leaders, platoon leaders, first sergeants and company commanders who teach resilient skills to soldiers in their units.

Moody said there are more than 50 MRTs on post who support CSF2.

The garrison is required to provide 16 hours of resiliency training to new soldiers within 90 days of their arrival at Fort Meade. Training takes place during the in-processing for soldiers.

Stacey Hale, the garrison's sexual assault response coordinator and sexual harassment/assault response specialist, said in fiscal year 2013, there were 25 sexual assaults reported for Fort Meade.

Hale said senior leaders have "established a command climate where people can come forward." But, she said, "one report is one too many."

Hale handed out copies of the Army's SHARP Guidebook, which defines sexual harassment and sexual assault, and educated commanders on how they should respond to reports of alleged sexual harassment or sexual assault within their units.

According to Army statistics, female soldiers between the ages of 18 and 24, who are within the first 18 months of their enlistment, are most vulnerable to becoming victims of sexual assault.

In addition, 35 percent of sexual assaults began as sexual harassment that went unchecked.

Mark Fisher, chief of pediatric behavioral health at Kimbrough and a suicide prevention subject matter expert, spoke about the garrison's suicide prevention efforts and the behavioral health services.

"You're in the trenches," he said. "You're with the soldiers and you will spot things that can prevent a suicide."

Commanders can take advantage of the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training program, the garrison's suicide prevention course, that is sponsored by the Army Substance Abuse Program.

The behavioral health staff is available for active-duty soldiers during work hours. After duty hours, commanders should call 911 or the on-call garrison chaplain, said Fisher.

The behavioral health staff provides psychological evaluations and treatment, including individual and family counseling.

The staff treats conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, brain injuries, and mood and anxiety disorders, and helps people deal with family issues, deployments and stress management.

Fisher said the staff also provides command-directed psychological evaluations of soldiers and security clearance evaluations.

Jamie Valis, director of the Army Wellness Center, gave a brief overview of the Army's Performance Triad, which emphasizes proper sleep, exercise and nutrition, and the Army Wellness Center. The center's core programs include health assessment review, physical fitness, healthy nutrition, stress management, wellness education and tobacco education. The center also provides metabolic testing, body composition measurements, fitness assessments and stress management techniques.

Maj. Lucas Frank, battalion executive officer of the 3rd Battalion, 312th Regiment, said it is the responsibility of senior leaders to ensure that soldiers get the help they need. "There is a wealth of Army programs out there that are designed to help soldiers and their families," he said. "It is our job as Army leaders to match up the right soldier with the right program to ensure that the programs are utilized."

 

Mina, the daughter of Heritage Park resident Amy Jorgensen, could not wait to go outside to make a snow angel after lunch on Jan. 21. A fast-moving storm delivered a wintry blast of snow, which produced as much as 7 inches in the Fort Meade-Baltimore area and topped 11 inches in other parts of the state.
Mina, the daughter of Heritage Park resident Amy Jorgensen, could not wait to go outside to make a snow angel after lunch on Jan. 21. A fast-moving storm delivered a wintry blast of snow, which produced as much as 7 inches in the Fort Meade-Baltimore area and topped 11 inches in other parts of the state.

 

January 28, 2014

 

 
 

 

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