Webinar Highlights Importance of Healthy Minds, Bodies

Image
Stock photo.
Title
Webinar Highlights Importance of Healthy Minds, Bodies

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.

Report Urges Increased Support for Military Caregivers

Image
Caregiver assisting wounded warrior
Title
Report Urges Increased Support for Military Caregivers

Military caregivers need more tailored support that reflects their needs, according to a new Rand Corp. report.

“We call [caregivers] hidden heroes,” Rajeev Ramchand, co-director of the Rand Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute, said during the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s National Convening on Military Caregiving on Sept. 24. “We call them this because we truly believe that they're really the backbone of our national security, but oftentimes their service is hidden, unrecognized and undervalued.”

DoD Strives to Improve Troops’ Access to Health Care

Image
Three people smiling at camera
Title
DoD Strives to Improve Troops’ Access to Health Care

Defense Department leaders are focused on improving medical readiness and access to care in the Military Health System, the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs said.

“The [Defense Health Agency] is a new enterprise, … so we are in [a] growing stage,” Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez said July 30 during an Association of the U.S. Army Noon Report webinar. “There are a lot of negotiations between the services and Defense Health Agency to make sure that … we're going to deliver the right care to every service member that is wounded or injured.”

AUSA Book Recognized for Distinguished Writing

Image
Book cover
Title
AUSA Book Recognized for Distinguished Writing

An Association of the U.S. Army Book Program title has won a 2023 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award in its category.

Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness by retired Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin is recognized in the book category under Journals, Memoirs and Letters.

The Army Historical Foundation awards recognize “excellence in U.S. Army history writing.” The 2023 awards honor books and articles published in 2023.

Army Eyes ‘Brain Exercise’ to Up Soldier Performance

Image
Soldiers run on treadmills as part of a study.
Title
Army Eyes ‘Brain Exercise’ to Up Soldier Performance

“Brain exercise” could improve soldiers’ physical well-being and help them perform better under stress or while fatigued, according to researchers at the Army Medical Research and Development Command’s Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. 

Experts Urge Better Access to Mental Health Care

Image
Silhouette of a soldier
Title
Experts Urge Better Access to Mental Health Care

Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Centers are essential to ensuring service members, veterans and military families can access counseling and other social and psychological services, but the centers need improvement, a panel of experts said at a recent hearing before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. 

Experts: Troops Need Better Protection from Blasts

Image
Soldiers firing artillery
Title
Experts: Troops Need Better Protection from Blasts

Service members need more protection against low-level blast exposure and its potential impact on the brain, a panel of experts testified before the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on personnel.

“Exposure to blast[s] ... can occur both in combat and in training,” Samantha McBirney, a biomedical engineer with the Rand Corp., testified during the Feb. 28 hearing. “Studies have shown that the cumulative effect of repeated low-level blast exposure can cause symptoms similar to traumatic brain injury.”

AUSA Releases 2 New Podcasts in March

Image
Army Matters logo
Title
AUSA Releases 2 New Podcasts in March

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.

Rand: Troops Need Better Mental Health Care Access

Image
Soldier
Title
Rand: Troops Need Better Mental Health Care Access

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.