Aug. 18, 2011 Resilience study can help DOD officials strengthen programs The military has a plethora of programs aimed at building resilience in service members and their families, but needs a better system in place to measure their success, a study has revealed.Commissioned by officials from the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain
July 20, 2011 Chairman's Total Force Fitness Program consolidates focus Today's Airman lives in a fast-paced world. Everything that touches your personal life and the world you work in is connected and designed for speed and performance. Think of the F-22 Raptor. As awesome as this high-tech piece of equipment is, it can't reach its full potential without support and
July 7, 2011 White House reverses policy on condolence letters President Barack Obama and Defense Department officials will send condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide in a war zone.The change is in keeping with administration efforts to remove the stigma of mental health treatment, an administration official said on
June 28, 2011 Need reasons to exercise? Is all of this exercise really worth the effort? Can't this be a whole lot easier? When will we be able to keep fit while lounging in the recliner? There are too many days when we are tempted to skip the workout. How many of you have said, "I'll start tomorrow?" How many days ago was yesterday?
June 1, 2011 Bagram medics face wars' worst, fight for survivors Imagine starting your shift deployed here as a vehicle gunner. Your team charged with conducting routine security patrols around the perimeter of the base, and in an instant everything goes terribly wrong, all you see is sand flying up like a wall above the truck. As you flash in and out of
May 20, 2011 Counselor presented national drug/alcohol abuse prevention award For her dedication to drug and alcohol abuse prevention -- earning Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam a $950,000 federal grant last year -- Tech. Sgt. Jeannie Washington was presented the Government Employees Insurance Company Military Service Award in Washington, D.C., April 18."I felt honored and
May 20, 2011 Combating stress with wags and pats Sgt. 1st Class Zach sat poised as the female Airman told him about her day. While she ran her fingers through his golden blond hair, Zach raised an eyebrow to others in the room, as if to say "I'm the man."So how did Zach get her to spill the beans? Was it the complexion of his hair or sad droopy
April 11, 2011 Air Force tests new Health Response Team in Trinidad and Tobago More than 40 U.S. Air Force medical personnel from the 60th Medical Group at Travis Air Force Base along with four Contingency Response personnel from McGuire AFB gathered here to test a new Expeditionary Medical Support Health Response Team in support of Fuerzas Alidas Humanitarias (FA HUM 2011) or
April 5, 2011 U.S. military officials contribute to Kyrgyz deworming conference Three U.S. military medical experts including two colonels from the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, attended a conference here on mass deworming April 2 to contribute American health care concepts to the health program this country's medical representatives have successfully started and plan to
March 21, 2011 VA launches new PSA on suicide prevention for veterans Department of Veterans Affairs officials are reaching out to veterans in crisis and their families in a new public service announcement to raise awareness about suicide prevention resources, such as the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). "As more veterans return from Iraq and
March 16, 2011 Air Force surgeon general details 'Trusted Care Anywhere' and efficiencies for House panel The Air Force Medical Service's simple mantra, "trusted care anywhere," fits what AFMS does today and will continue to do in years ahead, the Air Force surgeon general told Congress March 15.In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on military personnel with his military
Feb. 24, 2011 Air Force has new weapon in fight against Spice Air Force officials began drug testing Airmen Feb. 22 to determine whether they are using Spice -- the street term for a range of designer synthetic-cannabinoid products. With the implementation of testing, officials intend to send a very clear message: use Spice, and you may lose your career, end
Feb. 24, 2011 CMSAF discusses need for strengthened resiliency at symposium The Air Force's senior enlisted leader discussed the importance of resiliency and its impact to the service Feb. 17 here during the Air Force Association's Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy spoke candidly about the repercussions of a
Feb. 17, 2011 Air Force officials warn: 'Spice' harmful to health, career A recent spate of incidents involving service members abusing the herbal mixture "spice" has prompted uniformed service leaders to stress the ramifications of using the drug and other prohibited substances, officials said here Feb 11. Marketed and sold as incense, and closely resembling potpourri,
Feb. 17, 2011 Parents of suicide victim share story On May 3, 2010, Joie Gates' boss entered her office and abruptly ordered a co-worker she was chatting with to leave with him. Three uniformed Air Force officers then entered the room and Ms. Gates knew she was about to get some bad news. They told her that her only child, Airman Austin Gates-Benson,
Feb. 17, 2011 Top doctor cites importance of psychological health Psychological health is among the military's most critical and most promising areas of medical treatment, the Defense Department's assistant secretary for health affairs said Feb. 8.Speaking at the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury's Warrior Resilience
Feb. 17, 2011 Global Strike Airmen save lives by employing the wingman concept Two Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen employed the wingman concept recently when they alerted base security forces to the suicidal thoughts of their friend and got him the help he needed."A life was saved in our command that day because immediate action was taken by two wingmen who were paying
Feb. 9, 2011 The Air Force Medical Service – What’s Next? EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was published in U.S. Medicine's "This Year in Federal Medicine - Outlook 2011." It is re-published here with the publisher's permission.We in the Military Health System have made ourselves a tough act to follow. Our achievements have changed the face of war. We can
Jan. 25, 2011 No Airman left behind: Pursued by anxiety A young man lifts weights in a crowded gym. All of a sudden, a lion appears in the doorway, locks eyes with the young man and bursts into full pursuit. That surge of adrenaline and panic is what one Airman here felt while performing normal everyday tasks."I'm going through this feeling of a lion
Jan. 6, 2011 Resiliency is key to surviving challenges Resiliency. Interesting word. Although I'm familiar with the meaning, I can't recall having ever actually used the word in conversation. Resiliency can be defined as the ability to grow and thrive in the face of challenges and to bounce back from adversity. A less formal expression of the concept