Fort Sill, Oklahoma (April 2, 2024) –The Department of Defense created the Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce, the Army’s new primary prevention workforce which focuses on preventing harmful behaviors.
This team has experts at different levels: strategic (Military Department headquarters), operational (major commands), and tactical (individual installations).
David Carnahan is the Supervisory Prevention Specialist for the Integrated Prevention Advisory Group which assists command teams across Fort Sill in the identification of harmful behaviors that are occurring inside of their organizations and helps to develop prevention strategies to reduce harmful behavior. The I-PAG team works at the tactical level with Fort Sill command teams.
Carnahan has contributed more than 23 years of civilian service through roles as a Soldier, family member, as well as community wellness, resiliency services and psychological and behavioral health programs.
Now as Supervisory Prevention Specialist at the I-PAG since Sept. 2022, he leads a team of nine prevention specialists and his work aligns at the tactical level with active guidance from Fort Sill’s senior leaders.
Carnahan and the team have already achieved several short-term successes, including: educating leaders on the value of primary prevention; securing leadership buy-in through the qualitative analysis of the Defense Organizational Climate Survey; streamlining leadership action plans to add value and understanding; and fostering a collaborative relationship with a major command at the operational level.
“One thing that I emphasize with my team is the prevention process – people want to jump to initiating things, but we first need to define the problem and develop a plan,” said Carnahan. “We are here to help leaders as an extension to their team and are only here to make it better for them.”
Since the I-PAG team was established, it collects and analyzes data from across Fort Sill, then helps provide leaders with the most likely root causes of problems within their organizations.
The I-PAG team has the advantage of viewing and analyzing successful versus unsuccessful initiatives and policies from various units across Fort Sill, helping commanders avoid already identified issues. Units can then focus their energy on the root causes and not continue making the same mistakes.
“Dave Carnahan and his I-PAG team were invaluable to our leaders and command teams. His team focused on helping our units see themselves from an outside perspective,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jason A. Obermuller, 428th Field Artillery Brigade. “Dave and his team have advised numerous batteries across the brigade on finding the root problem or action that contributes to harmful behaviors and assisting in developing creative strategies to prevent them.”
Carnahan and the I-PAG continue to refine their methods and strategies to better serve their customers at Fort Sill. Through their collaborative efforts and data-driven strategies, they continue to foster a successful environment across the post.
Social Sharing