ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The Association of the U.S. Army is releasing two new podcasts in March as part of its “Army Matters” series, including an episode featuring Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer.

In a podcast available March 13, Weimer will talk about the first six months of his tenure as sergeant major of the Army, growing up as an Army brat, his leadership theories and how the Mongolian ruler Genghis Khan influenced one of his favorite training exercises.

A career special operations soldier, Weimer was sworn in last August as the Army’s senior enlisted leader.

The Military Health System should increase service members’ access to mental health care that is integrated and comprehensive, according to a recent report from the Rand Corp.

There are “significant opportunities to enhance behavioral health care in the Military Health System,” the report found. “Timely access to behavioral health care that meets the needs of service members is necessary for ensuring the readiness of the force,” the report says.

Retired Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin served in the Army for 36 years and deployed to combat multiple times, all while battling undiagnosed bipolar disorder.

“Bipolar disorder … is not due to a lack of willpower or character, so don't blame the afflicted [individual]. Bipolar disorder can strike anyone,” Martin said Nov. 2 during an Association of the U.S. Army Noon Report webinar. “My life mission now … is sharing my bipolar story to help stop the stigma, promote recovery and save lives.”

Retired Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin, author of Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness, will speak Nov. 2 during the Association of the U.S. Army’s Noon Report webinar.

The presentation will begin at noon Eastern. It is free, but registration is required here.

Service members and their families could benefit from better access to military-specific care for mental health and substance use treatment, data from the Rand Corp. found. 

“Unlike civilian populations, service members and their families face unique stressors that have been documented as drivers of behavioral health care problems,” the report found. “Addressing the behavioral health care needs of the military and their families is important to ensure military readiness.” 

The latest edition of the Army’s annual Health of the Force report found that soldiers’ health has remained stable, but the service also dealt with a decrease in sleep and an increase in behavioral health diagnoses. 

Now in its eighth year, the 2022 Health of the Force report analyzed data for over 20 health, wellness and environmental indicators across 41 installations throughout 2021. 

“Every death of a soldier is a tragedy. Every death by suicide is even more tragic,” said James Helis, director of the Army Resilience Directorate. “It has cascading effects across the unit, to the battle buddies, to the squadmates, to the family, to the leaders. This is a problem that we have to stay on top of all the time.”

Speaking March 8 during an Association of the U.S. Army Noon Report webinar, Helis said that soldiers who die by suicide tend to be young, junior enlisted men experiencing a crisis.