Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Tom Wade | Spc. Marcos Olivares, a nutrition care specialist with the 31st Combat Support...... read more read more
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CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Exercising the mind is as important as exercising the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. By doing both, we create a long-term lifeline, which is the building blocks for hope during trying times.
Soldiers from the 98th Medical Detachment, Combat Stress Control Team, offer a diverse array of mental resiliency training, along with nutritional insights, aimed at refreshing the mind and body at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
Some classes are set up in group settings, giving participants an opportunity to practice learned skills, which will improve their interactions with one another.
“The whole mission of our detachment is to support the emotional and psychological well-being of any U.S. Armed Forces Soldier, as well as Department of Defense civilians on Camp Arifjan,” said Maj. Shruti Mutalik, a psychiatrist with the 98th CSC. “We want people to have the most meaningful, valuable, peaceful and emotionally gratifying deployment as possible.”
There are two mental resilience training programs offered by the 98th CSC. One is called the Iron Reset Program and the other is called Gaining Resiliency In Theater.
In the Iron Reset Program, the day starts off with individual physical fitness sessions or group workouts. Following these sessions, all move to a classroom setting.
One class is called Working Well with Others, where any U.S. Armed Forces Soldier or DoD civilian, can learn what type of personality they have and how it interacts with others. According to Clinical Psychologist Maj. Aimee Ruscio, with the 98th CSC, this is important to know, because there is not much separation between people and their work, which can cause friction.
Another class offered in the Iron Reset Program, is called Long-Distance Relationships. Participants can master the art of communication, which allows them to show one or more of The Five Love Languages, taught in the book by Gary Chapman, to their significant other while separated. Some of the other classes offered include Suicide Prevention, Healthy Thinking, Valuable Deployment, Anger Management, and Spiritual Awareness.
This structure of physical fitness and class room instruction benefits the Soldier, who has been declining at work, or not functioning well on the job, said Staff Sgt. Vanessa Vinson, non-commissioned officer in charge, 98th CSC. Commanders can direct that soldier to this behavior program, which allows the soldier to take a knee from the everyday work environment and learn some resiliency tools, she added.
“My favorite class to teach about is Stress Management,” said Pfc. Thomas Teich, behavioral health specialist, 98th CSC. “Everybody at some certain point of their life undergoes an amount of stress.”
In the G.R.I.T program, any U.S. Armed Forces Soldier or DoD civilian can also learn why sleep deprivation interferes with physical performance. Similarly, participants can learn, in the one-hour weekly classes, techniques used to mitigate or eliminate problems while working with others or how to make better use of their time management.
Fighting combat stress or participating in cognitive behavioral therapy are not the only services offered in the wellness building.
The 31st Combat Support Hospital has a nutrition department, ready to provide a full range of clinical services such as metabolism and blood pressures tests, the Army body composition program, as well as glucose and cholesterol testing.
“Our mission is to increase nutritional awareness among any U.S. Armed Forces Soldier or Department of Defense civilian who are here with us about their health,” said Cpt. Kira Brown, dietitian, attached to 31st Combat Support Hospital. “A good nutritional plan can impact one’s current wellness and their long-term health.”
Brown is assisted by four nutrition care specialists, whom provide Soldiers with guidance needed to improve athletic performance or nutritional food intake. Their combined knowledge ensures that any U.S. Armed Forces Soldier or DoD civilian have the tools needed to eat a balanced meal and work in a deployed environment.
The 98th CSC works hard to promote a healthy lifestyle while encouraging Esprit De Corps. They believe that exercising the mind is just as important as exercising the body. In attending one of their classes, any U.S. Armed Forces Soldier or DoD civilian can learn how to mend their mind to make their body stronger.
| Date Taken: | 02.22.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2017 01:12 |
| Story ID: | 225048 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 82 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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