and AWC employee with an M.S. in Exercise Science and a registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist during a tour of the new AWC facilities. "For too long, much of our health care... VIEW ORIGINAL
FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Soldiers, civilians and family members celebrated the opening of the new Army Wellness Center in the garrison Resiliency Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 19, 2015. The new facility, the 24th Army Wellness Center to open across the Army since 2005, is a program of the U.S. Army Medical Command and an integral part of the recently renovated garrison Resiliency Center that opened in June.
The new Army Wellness Center (AWC) offers modern health services, programs and state-of-the-art equipment free of charge to all DoD ID card holders on Fort Irwin, including health assessment reviews, which analyze a patient's health status, risk for disease and ability to exercise safely; physical fitness testing and exercise prescriptions; healthy nutrition programs and strategies using metabolic testing to provide individualized strategies for weight loss, gain or maintenance; stress management techniques using biofeedback to reduce stress; general wellness education through classes on topics such as healthy lifestyles, increased resiliency and self-care; and tobacco education using assessments to determine an individual's readiness to become tobacco-free.
The 30 minute ceremony began with a musical prelude and the National Anthem and the invocation by Chaplain (Maj.) Manuel.
Guest speakers on hand to welcome and address the Soldiers and community members in attendance were Col. Jason Weiman, Weed Army Community Hospital commander and Col. Scott Taylor Fort Irwin garrison commander.
"The combined cost of this new Resiliency and Army Wellness Center on Fort Irwin is 8.4 million dollars; proof of the Army's commitment to Fort Irwin and Soldier fitness." said Taylor. "Now we need to get people out of their homes and offices and workplaces and start using it. Let's get the word out."
Wieman emphasized the importance of prevention in health care. "For too long, so much of our health care was about seeing and treating people after they became sick, instead of wellness and preventive medicine." he said. "I like to quote Thomas Edison who said 'The doctors of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause of the prevention of disease.' These Army Wellness Centers operate on that concept by focusing on comprehensive fitness; nutrition, activity, stress management and sleep; the sum of fitness. " said Wieman.
After the speeches by Colonels Wieman and Taylor, accompanied by the director of the new facility, Andrew Munsterman stepped to the AWC entrance and ceremonially snipped the large red ribbon in two, officially opening it to the all ID cardholders in the community.
"Such services outside post normally cost thousands of dollars but are made available at no charge to the Fort Irwin Community." said Munsterman. "It's a significant addition to community members' health benefits on Fort Irwin as well as visiting Soldiers training at the National Training Center." he said.
The first AWC opened in 2005. Today, there are 24 in the United States, Germany and Italy. The Army plans to have 27 centers by the end of 2015 and 37 completed by the end of 2018. All have standardized exercise and testing equipment and are staffed by highly qualified personnel.
Fort Irwin's new AWC is located in the Resiliency Center, building 127, on the corner of Inner Loop Road and 1st Street and is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Service members, and their family members, retirees and Army civilian employees can make an appointment at the center at 380-7373 or can be referred by their unit or a physician at the WACH.
To learn more about the people and facilities of the Weed Army Community Hospital go to www.irwin.amedd.army.mil or the official NTC website at www.irwin.army.mil.
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