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On July 22, behavioral health personnel from the 68th Theater Medical Command as well as the unit’s chaplain as part of their regular community outreach program participated in a mental health and wellness seminar hosted by the military and civilian staff at Stars and Stripes Europe & Expeditionary at their headquarters at Kleber Kaserne in Kaiserslautern.
The event primarily focused on the wellbeing of their civilian workforce, addressing the numerous repetitive challenges they undergo in meeting regular deadlines with the goal of ensuring quality news and information is published for their readership throughout the theater and beyond daily.
The specialists who participated in the panel included Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Rickie Wambles, Maj. Richard Murphy, the 68th TMC’s behavioral health officer, as well as Capt. Cortney Mast, who also serves as a behavioral health officer under the 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, who were asked a variety of questions by the seminar’s moderator on diverse topics related to mental health challenges and how best to cope with them.
“Any opportunity to engage with professionals like embedded behavioral health providers and chaplains is an opportunity to gain a new perspective,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Daniel Quinlan, the Stars and Stripes Europe & Expeditionary commander. “I believe our team came away with a better understanding of the Army’s whole-person approach to readiness and resilience.”
Throughout the event, the staff of the European Stars and Stripes bureau were able to engage with the three panelists to gain valuable insight into a variety of topics related to work-related stress.
“One of the most valuable discussions focused on how behavioral health professionals and chaplains complement one another in supporting our workforce,” Quinlan said. “Most importantly, the event reinforced that building a resilient organization is a shared responsibility — we all have a role in looking out for one another and fostering a supportive work environment.”
Certain traits such as mental toughness and resilience, as well as positive coping behaviors, such as seeking advice from a trusted source and enlisting emotional support, may help both military personnel as well as the civilian workforce address and process these stressors and experiences.
The definition of mental health is recognized as a state of being mentally and emotionally sound, characterized by the absence of illness, proper adjustment, positive self-regard and relationships, and the capability to handle daily life according to Merriam-Webster.
“As I think about our professions, whether that is a Chaplain, mental health care provider, journalist, public affairs and advertising professionals, we must realize that the enemy — burnout — is not respecter of one professional. Burnout doesn’t care who we are,” Wambles said. “It doesn’t matter what degree you hold, what awards you have earned or what goals you have set for the future, and we must be diligent to work as a team to combat it, so we can be and remain successful life,” said Lt. Col Rickie Wambles.
A great place to start for those who seek assistance is the U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz Religious Support Office which is located on Kleber Kaserne, Wambles said. The RSO has a responsibility to provide religious care and support to all Soldiers, Families and Civilians within our Garrison area of operation, [and they] currently has a “Family Life Chaplain” who provides crisis, marriage, and family counseling support to all Department of War personnel.
Maj. Murphy says that the month of May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, but it’s never too late to prioritize your mental wellness. Just like our physical health, we need to stop and take care of our mental health. Taking care of your mental health will help reduce stress, promote a positive attitude and outlook and improve the quality of your relationships.
