Eagle BELVOIR
Air Force Tech Sgt. Diana Peña, left, teaches students healthy meal techniques Oct. 9 as part of USO Total Force Kitchen. See story A7.
October 17, 2019
www.belvoireagleonline.com
Fire Department’s Peer Support Belvoir Warrior Transition Brigade Soldier canWarrior help brethren flourishesTeam at DoD Games By Margaret Steele Belvoir Eagle
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even years ago, Fort Belvoir’s Fire Department suffered a terrible loss, when one of their own, Michael Deal, took his own life. “No one saw it coming. We were all shocked,” said Jonathan Lang, Fort Belvoir Fire and Emergency Services. However, Lang said Deal’s suicide made him want to change the way the firefighter community deals with -- and recovers from -- parts of their jobs that bring added stress. “First responders, dispatchers, correctional officers, firefighters, fire inspectors, Soldiers; anyone who puts on a uniform of service often sees a lot of trauma,” Lang said. “We see some tough stuff. Many of us are adrenaline junkies and find the jobs very rewarding. But, failure on the job is soul-crushing.” Lang said the first-responder community also often has higher rates of U.S Army photo by PFC Dominique Dixon
post traumatic stress; grief; substance abuse; divorce and family problems; yourdepartment arms are not your legs By Mary Therese Griffin Lang andcause and alcoholism. In response, a dozen members fa–it’s all arms and upper body. I’m Army Warrior Care and Transition cilitate a Peer Support Team, which is available to help fire department pretty much limited from the chest personnel get the help and resources they may need, confidentially. “Conup. It’s hard, but once I got fitted in gt. 1st Class Jay Martin, a fidentiality and privacy are the most important things,” Lang, the departthe bike, I realized I have to get in trumpet player in the Army’s ment’s peer support coordinator, said.there and keep going, because pracOld Guard Fife and Drum Corps, openly admits he was never tice makes perfect,” said Martin. Ask for help He won a bronze medal for his really athletic. “I was not athletic classification in hand cycling for “We can’t stress this enough … It’s OK to ask for and get help. It’s OK until my mid-forties and I started Team Army at this year’s Departto know you need help. It’s OK to not be OK,” Lang said. “We just don’t racing BMX bicycles, believe it or ment of Defense Warrior Games want you to feel alone.” not,” said Martin. in Tampa. Martin knew about the He said the team members Biking wassupport his new hobby un- don’t serve as clinicians or diagnose, games beforehelp his and accident but they now but listen and get their colleagues resources, support til an accident Jan. 6, 2018, at an therealized he could participate. He exneed. The verified resources provided by the Peer Support Team include indoor bike park. Martin knew im- plains why he believes the Warrior mediately on impact that his legs Games are important. were not going to be the same. After See Peer A7 “Just like sports areSupport, important immediate surgery he learned he for kids with developing personality would never walk again. and growth, sports at this point for As he transitioned through the injured or handicapped individuWarrior Transition Battalion at als is the same kind of thing . . . it Fort Belvoir, he decided not to give shapes development and helps you up on biking and used it in his adaptive reconditioning. See Warrior Games, page A5 “Hand cycling is different, be-
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USO Fall Fest features family fun Academic program could boost Soldier retention Sgt. 1st Class Jay Martin participates in the cycling event June 23 in Tampa, during the 2019 Department of Defense Warrior Games, an adaptive sports competition for wounded, ill and injured Service members and veterans. Approximately 300 athletes representing teams from U.S. and Allied military forces compete in a variety of athletic competitions.
by Paul Lara Belvoir Eagle
Credentialing, along with bachelor’s degrees to senior NCOs the Sergeants Maool autumn weather set the who stageattended for changes to promotion jor Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas. this year’s USO Fall Fest, as about 2,000 Daileyand said the Army will provide gathered at the USO-Metro boards, helps ensure the Warrior Soldiers with some college credit or Family Center, Saturday. Families turned out best are promoted and professional for a myriad of activities, as Garrison Command credentialing for each leveltoofthis NCO training. Sgt. Maj. Jason Young welcomed Families retained
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working with each of the military centers of excellence to provide technical skill training equitable to academic skills. “We thought we need to build on that more, because 60 percent of the Army is combat arms, so what tangible technical skills do they leave with?” he said.
“The expectation is we give somespecial facility. thing back for that service,” Dailey been Garrison Sgt. Maj. for a couple By“I’ve Joeonly Lacdan said atthis an Association of the U.S. months, but Service I already know what a treasure Army News Army breakfast in Washington, Skilled labor required USO Center at Belvoir really is,” said Young. Photo by Luc Dunn, AUSA “Not just be able to say that Dailey cited that 80 percent of addprograms to its D.C. “Fall he FestArmy is onecould of many the USO Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel you served retention numbers by by hosts record each year, and they are driven 350 vol- and sacrificed, but (get- American jobs require skilled labor, Dailey speaks about retention ting) tangible results. That’s what and that Soldiers can become pro- and academic credentialing at the providing more incentive for unteers.” we owe to the American people–is a ductive members of the work force AUSA Institute of Land Warfare Soldiers to stay on duty, the serActive-duty service member Families picked betterchilproduct, to be more produc- after leaving the Army. vice’s top enlisted leader out pumpkins in the field,said. and then helped breakfast in Arlington, June 26. tive in entheir hometowns.” “There is a great opportunity Theand Army has been testing a pilot dren toddlers paint them, while others Dailey said the Army has been for many of our Soldiers to fulfill late those to civilian-sector skills, program academic credentialing joyed facefor painting, balloon hats, cookie decoratat Hood, Texas, and house. plans to working out the finer points of the the ranks of those skilled labor re- which we had not done.” ingFort stations and a bounce program extend program to several ma- Elaine USOthe Metro President and CEO, Rog-to ensure higher quality quirements in our hometowns of Last year, with the help of Contraining for Service members and America, and they have the tangible gress and the Army Photo by Paul Lara jor the end 2019, ers,installations said it was aby perfect dayoffor this family-cenContinuing deciding how agencies will get payskills,” Dailey said. “We just need to said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel tric event. “What’s cool about this whole event James Youngberg, 2, takes a pumpkin from Katie Youngberg at the USO Fall System, Fest, Saturday. Education the Army crement. The program will also be make it official. Dailey. Thehave Army plans to is that we hundreds of spread volunteers who are ated the credentialing assistance available National Guard has andto unload – somebody those Air Force “We all saw the pumpopportunity to beHonor Guard Drill Tea, a display from the program installations inhave helping us puttoallall this together. We the best towork members. able to capitalize on the great skills and fill the field,” said Rogers. the Old Dominion Club, live page music from fiscal year 2020. volunteers in the world and they reallyArmy comeReserve out kins SeeCorvette Credentialing, A8 the Army our Soldiers now, and transJanus Project, and several food trucks. Recently, providedpatch 110 wasDailey and support the us. Army The pumpkin a lot of said There was has alsobeen a presentation fromhave the U.S.
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Housing A5 A2 Avoid Heat Illness
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Halloween safety CYS 40th Anniversary
prevention PCS Travel Tips A7 Fire A9
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Little League DTRA Undefeated