Fort Campbell, KY – Blanchfield Army Community Hospital hosted a resiliency fair recently, to educate its Soldiers and federal employees about resources and tools available to them that promote physical health and mental well-being.
“A number of employees across the healthcare industry are experiencing stress at work and at home so we thought that it would be useful to let our team know what resources are available for them and learn more about the programs offered on post,” said 1st Lt. Eden Kebede, a Blanchfield social work intern who helped organize the event.
Army Wellness Center — The AWC provides a number programs designed to promote and sustain healthy lifestyles and improve the overall wellbeing of service members, retirees, adult family members, and Department of the Army civilians. Free classes include sleep education, stress management, nutrition, and weight management, and fitness programs, all available without a referral. The center is located on post at Bldg. 2526 22nd Street. Call 270.461.3451 to register for a class.
Army Employee Assistance Program — EAP is a voluntary, confidential program that provides civilian employees with a valuable resource for helping them to cope with issues both on and off the job, including alcohol and drug abuse, overall mental well-being, marital/relationship issues, stress, dependent care and more. Federal employees on Fort Campbell may reach the interim coordinator at 270.412.0084.
Army Community Service – ACS programs support Soldiers, retirees, their families, and civilian employees with a number of self-improvement programs that promote self-reliance, resiliency, and stability. The program’s resilience training enables participants to grow and thrive in the face of challenges and bounce back from adversity. ACS is located on Fort Campbell at Bldg. 1501 William C. Lee Road. Call 270.798.9322 for more information.
Army Chaplains – Chaplains are experienced religious leaders who can provide spiritual support to Soldiers, retirees, families, and Department of the Army civilian employees. They can provide confidential counseling for a number of life’s challenges including work-related issues, stress, marriage, family, finances, and grief. Visit their webpage at https://home.army.mil/campbell/index.php/chaplains for more information.
The event also featured wellness resources off post. Gathering many resources together in one space within the hospital better-enabled staff to learn about programs available to them.
“I heard there was a resiliency fair that might have helpful information about coping with the things that we’ve been through the past couple of years, actually,” said Valerie Batty, a licensed practical nurse who has worked at the hospital for 12 years.
Since the pandemic, Batty has implemented new coping techniques that help her relax. “My drive home is my decompression time. When I get home I tell my family I need 30 minutes to myself, just to decompress. I take time for myself just to get back into the mode of family time and not work. It’s a new thing I started when COVID-19 started because it was too much.”
Batty said she also enjoys using a mindfulness journal.
Other positive coping skills recommended include meditation, listening to music, reading, getting adequate sleep, healthful nutrition, physical activity, and keeping up with family and friends through phone calls or video chats.
Kebede said that to some degree all of us share some of the same stressors with COVID-19 Coronavirus in terms of restrictions and isolation.
“There are some things that we all go through and the important thing to know is that you are not alone and some of the resources that we have here are definitely a good support, whether it is on or off post, so please utilize those and talk to somebody,” said Kebede.
