ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Resilience is built through genuine connection, the kind that happens when soldiers talk around a campfire, said the Army’s chief of chaplains.

These “campfire moments” are “not laid out on a training calendar, they aren’t laid out on fancy PowerPoint slides, but they are decisive moments of leadership,” Maj. Gen. William Green said March 5 in remarks at a Hot Topic on “Holistic Health and the Resilient Soldier” hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army.

The Army’s program to enhance troops’ readiness and lethality through holistic fitness is “the largest investment in soldier readiness” the service has ever undertaken, a senior officer said.

In remarks March 5 at a Hot Topic hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army, Lt. Gen. David Francis, commanding general of the Center for Initial Military Training and deputy commanding general of Army Training and Doctrine Command, said the Holistic Health and Fitness program is the Army’s “primary investment in soldier readiness and lethality.”

Service members can now sign up for health care flexible spending accounts for the first time, according to a Tricare news release.

“An HCFSA is a new benefit for service members,” according to the news release. “It’s a financial tool that allows you to set aside pre-tax earnings to pay for eligible medical, dental, and vision health expenses.”

Registration is open for an Association of the U.S. Army Hot Topic focused on soldier health and fitness.

Scheduled for March 5 at AUSA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, the theme for the daylong Hot Topic is “Holistic Health and the Resilient Soldier.”

The Army’s program to enhance soldiers’ readiness through regular mental and physical fitness continues to expand across the force, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus said.

In remarks Feb. 4 at the monthly meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army’s George Washington chapter in Arlington, Virginia, Mingus said the program, known as Holistic Health and Fitness, or H2F, started with 28 brigades and has now expanded to 71 brigades in the active Army.

Beneficiaries who use Tricare in the West Region now have more time to update their payment information.

On Jan. 1, TriWest Healthcare Alliance became the new West Region contractor, replacing Health Net Federal Services. Tricare also moved six states from the East Region to the West Region—they are Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin.

Humana Military remains the contractor for the East Region.

New military parents could benefit from more accessible mental health care during pregnancy and postpartum, according to a study from the JAMA Network.

“Pregnancy and the postpartum period are particularly risky times for parents’ mental health,” the study found. “Despite higher risk, parents’ use of mental health services is low,” and service members face “increased risk of mental health difficulties and [underuse] mental health services absent parenthood.”

Until Dec. 10, military retirees and eligible beneficiaries who use Tricare can enroll in or make changes to their health care coverage.

Beneficiaries who use Tricare Prime, Tricare Select or the U.S. Family Health Plan can stay on their plan, enroll in a plan or change plans. Changes go into effect Jan. 1.

An upcoming Association of the U.S. Army webinar will focus on the importance of healthy minds and bodies while serving in the Army.

The webinar, part of AUSA’s Noon Report series, is titled “Strengthening the Army Profession Through Healthy Minds and Bodies.” It will feature retired Maj. Gen. Tom Solhjem, the former Army chief of chaplains, and renowned chef Daniel Thomas.