Guard Taking Health Issues Through New Program

The Army National Guard is gearing up to take on the enemies of its Soldiers, but among the enemies it’s preparing for are the mental, physical and spiritual needs of the troops and civilian workforce. This latest initiative – Well-Being – is based on the active Army program, and is being touted at several meetings by Guard officials nationwide, and the tour stopped in Georgia during March.

 Well-Being, according to Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn, director of the Army National Guard, supports the human dimension. “Our mission as leaders is to keep the personal, physical, mental and spiritual state of Soldiers, families and our civilians in mind as it contributes to the readiness of the ARNG” he said.

Greg Wrice, Well-Being program integrator, and a member of the NGB presentation team, said Well-Being is slated for implementation in FY07. The importance of the team’s tour now, Wrice said, is to gather feedback from local Guard leaders – i.e., Chaplain, MilPO and Safety – to make the program “relevant” to its target audience, which is soldiers, family members, civilians and technician workforce.

He noted that the divorce rate in the military stands at 50 percent, and that stress levels from repeated deployments are taking a toll on families and children. The wellness program, Wrice emphasized, is a program designed to assist families and Guardsmen to deal with the strains of military life.

The program’s four goals, Wrice added, are “to grow by taking advantage of the opportunities the Army provides; to connect by developing and maintaining a sense of pride and belonging; to serve in support of something larger than ourselves and to live according to a standard of living we can be proud of.” Under each of these goals are categories and functions, which number more than 35. These include citizenship, financial readiness, safety, legal services, health care and housing.

Ms. Nadine Moore, Well-Being program analyst, said that reports to state officials will be available so that the program remains dynamic and serves Soldier’s needs. As the Wellness program’s implementation nears, Ms. Moore added, NGB will provide brochures and wallet cards so each solider is made aware of the benefits to family and troop’s mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.