Photo By Sgt. Elliot Alagueuzian | Capt. M.K. Hardesty, officer in charge of the 528th Combat Operational Stress Control...... read more read more
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FORT McCOY, Wis. - U.S. Army Soldiers from the 528th Medical Detachment (Combat Operational Stress Control) out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, opened a center for Soldiers here to use recreationally while serving with the Operation Allies Welcome mission. Capt. M.K. Hardesty is the officer in charge of this center and said its uses are very simple.
“Our role is to monitor the health and wellness of our Soldier population,” said Hardesty, “and make sure that we are getting the resources out there that Soldiers need in order to make sure to complete this mission successfully.”
Hardesty explained the two main goals of the COSC are prevention and restoration. By providing Soldiers the means to have fun and de-stress they are helping Soldiers find a healthy way to cope with the stresses of being on mission away from their home station and families. Hardesty said that her team also conducts walkabouts within the communities to see how Soldiers are doing and if they need anything to help them stay mission ready.
“The COSC’s role is to make sure that if somebody is struggling with their overall readiness to complete this mission,” said Hardesty. “We help them nail down what specifically they are struggling with and get them back to the fight as quickly as possible.”
Being away from family for an extended period of time affects everyone differently. With the holiday season coming, being away from family could be very hard for some Soldiers to deal with.
“It affects everyone differently,” Hardesty said. “Some people thrive in this environment because all they have to worry about is work and themselves. Other people being away can be a significant stressor. The biggest impact is missing out on the positive everyday things and potentially only ever hearing about the negative which can weigh down on people.”
These kinds of services are unique and uplifting, according to Staff Sgt. Adrian Baladad, 419th Contract Support Brigade.
“It’s helpful, stuff like that is a break from work,” he said. “It’s maybe like a slice of home where you could just relax grab your favorite snack or candy and nobody is bothering you.”
Baladad also mentioned how important it was to get the word out about the services the COSC offers as well as mentioning that it does not require any sort of paperwork to access their services.
“I honestly thought that you had to have a referral to use whatever services they offer. So it would be good if we could spread the word,” he said.
The COSC is located in building 2663 and is open to Soldiers from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is open for all Soldiers to enjoy and de-stress.
| Date Taken: | 11.30.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.06.2021 13:58 |
| Story ID: | 410525 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 138 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Medical Personnel Offer Task Force McCoy Soldiers a Chance to De-stress, by SGT Elliot Alagueuzian, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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