3d ESC working to build resilient Soldiers and Families

By 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Public AffairsNovember 24, 2009

FORT KNOX, Ky. - Since returning from a 15-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Fort Knox's 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) has implemented many different approaches to ensure its Soldiers get reintegrated with their Families, while remaining mission ready.

Home since August, the 3d ESC has hosted several events that catered to their Soldiers to include reintegration passes and a Strong Bonds Retreat.

One of the more recent events the 3d ESC has sponsored for its Soldiers was having everyone who deployed to Iraq speak with Military & Family Life Consultants.

"MFLC is a program that Army and this command is using to ensure Soldiers get the help they need, if they need it," said Capt. Brian Pilch, the 3d ESC headquarters and headquarters company commander and Seward, Alaska, native. "It's important to get Soldiers the help they need so that we won't have issues that we can't resolve."

"Whether the issues are personal, financial, or deal with marital issues, they can be talked and about and resolved with a professional who could help."

Military & Family Life Consultants is a fairly new program the Armed Services are using to provide short-term, situational, problem-solving counseling services to service members and their Families.

The program offers non-medical counseling services including anger management, communication, parenting, and decision making skills. The MFLC program also offers counseling on military lifestyles dealing with deployment stress, separation, loss & grief and building resiliency.

Whatever the issue, the MFLC program can help while remaining private and confidential.

"Even if the Soldiers didn't need to speak to a MFLC consultant, hopefully this visit planted a seed within them so that if they needed help in the future they would seek it," said Anna Hoop, a Grand Rapids, Mich., native and a Fort Knox mobilization and deployment specialist.

Hoop explained that Soldiers in today's Army are unique individuals. Most have been through multiple deployments and could really use the help but are sometimes afraid to reach out for it.

There has been a stigma in the past that Soldiers seeking and receiving help for their problems were weak. With the MFLC program, leadership has sought to erase that notion.

"The consultations are non-threatening, confidential and if it will help Soldiers and Families in the future, it's a good thing," Hoop said.

Story by Spc. Michael Behlin, 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) public affairs.

For queries, contact 3d Sustainment Command Public Affairs at: (502) 624-8601.

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