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Mind Over Matter: 1ID holds Victory Mental Health Summit

By Pvt. Steven JohnsonApril 29, 2022

Mind Over Matter: 1ID holds Victory Mental Health Summit
U.S. Army Maj. William B. Pitts, the Director of Behavioral Health for Irwin Army Community Hospital, speaks on mental health at the Victory Mental Health Summit held at the Riley Conference Center on Fort Riley, Kansas, on April 28, 2022. Pitts elaborated on the technical side of mental health and what programs are offered on Fort Riley. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Steven Johnson) (Photo Credit: Pvt. Steven Johnson) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RILEY, Kan. - The 1st Infantry Division and Irwin Army Community Hospital hosted the Victory Mental Health Summit at the Riley Conference Center on April 28, 2022.

As part of 1ID’s commanding general’s Operation Victory Wellness campaign, the summit was held with approximately 100 community members from across Kansas and Big Red One Soldiers in attendance to learn more about mental health and what Fort Riley is doing to work with the community to improve mental health.

“The reason we are doing this is to help each other,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. D.A. Sims, Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley. “Mental health is a big deal. We are trying to find ways we can help each other and achieve synergy inside the community.”

Mind Over Matter: 1ID holds Victory Mental Health Summit
1st Infantry Division Soldiers and local Flint Hills community members gather for the Victory Mental Health Summit at the Riley Conference Center on Fort Riley, Kansas, April 28, 2022. The mental health summit was held to discuss the importance of mental health and what Fort Riley is doing to improve mental health amongst Soldiers and the community. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Steven Johnson) (Photo Credit: Pvt. Steven Johnson) VIEW ORIGINAL

In addition to the number of mental health and substance abuse programs available to 1ID Soldiers and Family members, there is also the Military and Family Life Counseling Program, where individuals and Families can seek counseling and not have any of the information shared during the counseling session.

“I encourage our service members and their family members to use the resources that are available in the community and on post,” said Maj. William B. Pitts, the Director of Behavioral Health for Irwin Army Community Hospital. “If you are in need of help, reach out.”

During the summit, local mental health professionals were given more information about Operation Victory Wellness, the 1ID program geared towards the improvement of individual Soldiers’ health and building unit cohesion through a holistic approach that focuses on the five dimensions of strength -- emotional, social, spiritual, physical and family.

Mind Over Matter: 1ID holds Victory Mental Health Summit
1st Infantry Division Soldiers and Local Flint Hills community members conduct group training sessions during the Victory Mental Health Summit at the Riley Conference Center on Fort Riley, Kansas, on April 28, 2022. The learning sessions were about ways to improve mental health and programs that could be implemented to help furthermore. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Steven Johnson) (Photo Credit: Pvt. Steven Johnson) VIEW ORIGINAL

“Victory Wellness is a great program and it has a positive impact on our Soldiers and their families, but also extends out into the community,” said Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Bill Turner, the Director of the Kansas Commission of Veterans Affairs. “I think the Victory Wellness program is building a camaraderie within units as well as out in the community to bring us together as One Family.”