Photo By Rob Strain | (From left to right) Lt. Col. William Smith, the Contingency Operating Location Q-West...... read more read more
CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq — The 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), opened the Piece of Mind Soldier center here Dec. 31.
The center, a place for Soldiers to find rest and relax their mind, body and soul, was created as a joint effort between the Soldiers of the 395th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, 198th Combined Arms, said Capt. Amy Noble, the 395th CSSB's chaplain.
"Soldiers often complained that the chapel was too far away, or not open late enough," she said.
Soldiers can get something to eat or drink, read, play video games, or just sit and relax with friends, and everything in the center was donated, Noble said.
Col. Larry Phelps, the commander of the 15th Sust. Bde. and Greenville, Ala., native, said taking care of Soldiers was extremely important, especially with the changes in mission coming in the next year.
"There is a lot coming," Phelps said. "It makes places like this even more important."
Places like Piece of Mind allow Soldiers to take care of each other and the most important part of peace of mind is the people Soldiers surround themselves with, Phelps said.
"That's the secret," he said.
According to the Army's Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer, one of the two basic responsibilities of a NCO is the welfare of their Soldiers, Phelps explained.
"Anything we can do to contribute to Soldiers' welfare is worth it," he said.
The center, which is operated by Soldiers, is open daily from noon until 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., Noble said. The center also has a chaplain's assistant office, if Soldiers feel like they need to contact a chaplain.
Noble hopes to extend the United Service Organizations' United Through Reading program, a program which allows Soldiers to record themselves reading books to their kids, to the center.
| Date Taken: | 12.31.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 01.02.2010 03:44 |
| Story ID: | 43389 |
| Location: | QAYYARAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 250 |
| Downloads: | 190 |
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