WIESBADEN, Germany – Several organizations dedicated to the health and welfare of federal employees held a joint Resiliency Resources Luncheon April 8 at the Installation Management Command-Europe headquarters here, led by the command chaplain’s office.
In addition to the Religious Support Office organizing and kicking off the event, other agencies represented were the Armed Forces Wellness Center, the American Red Cross, and the Employee Assistance Program.
“We live in stressful times and while stress can be beneficial it can also be destructive. Events such as these are meant to introduce the workforce to healthy coping strategies for dealing with the negative stressors before they become ‘toxic’ to us,” said Chaplain (COL) Andrew Lawrence, IMCOM-E Command Chaplain.
While most of these agencies’ programs are available to military members, DoD civilians, contractors and family members, the focus of this luncheon was sharing information about available services and resources to the civilian workforce.
The luncheon was designed to provide an overview of local resources available, said Katherine McMath-Dorman, IMCOM-E Religious Education Program Director. “Sometimes we have opportunities available to us that we don’t even know about – we want our team to be aware of local opportunities to be well and bounce back after times of anxiety and stress.”
Ric James, IMCOM-E chief of transition services, attended the event to learn about the different resources and to network for some of the programs he manages, feeling it was valuable to “hear about the associated programs and get some additional resources if needed while navigating today’s climate.”
EAP Coordinator Lisa Perry-Smith appreciated the chance to speak to the more than 50 employees at the event and share the things her program provides.
“Attending in-person events like this one provides tangible benefits for participants and the overall community,” she said. “While some individuals may not stay for the entire event, they often take the resources provided and reach out for help at a later time. Being together fosters connections and reduces feelings of isolation. Simply stepping away from daily routines can offer significant benefits.”
The EAP, she related, offers confidential counseling for employees dealing with life challenges -- whether it's stress, relationship issues, or needing someone to talk to. “The program supports employees and their families in addressing personal concerns and building resilience in areas like physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and family well-being,” she explained. “By encouraging self-awareness and self-care, the EAP fosters positive relationships and a sense of purpose. We offer workshops, individual sessions, as well as team building sessions.”
Maj. Charishlyn Weintraub, chief of Army Public Health Nursing with the Wiesbaden Clinic and AFWC supervisor, agreed that the in-person event was beneficial to getting the word out in a wider forum and allowing for immediate discussion to clarify services offered.
“Events like these provide dedicated time and space to learn about the AFWC directly to staff and how it can specifically benefit civilian employees,” she said. “It's a chance to connect with the AFWC team, ask questions, and discover resources we might not have been aware of. This direct interaction can be much more effective than simply reading information online. It helps to build a sense of community and shared purpose around health and well-being.”
Weintraub added that providing access to these resources can help empower people to take proactive steps towards building a more resilient mind and body, “which translates to increased productivity, improved job satisfaction, and a greater ability to handle the challenges of our work and personal lives.”
"The purpose was to introduce some of what the RSO provides to our civilian teammates, not only in the religious realm but as a partner with other agencies to care for our Army family,” explained Lawrence. “Given the changing times and stress such changes can create, our desire for this program was to bring some of our partner agency helping resources to our IMCOM civilian teammates.”
The represented organizations are located in the Resiliency Center, Bldg. 1201, which is part of the Resiliency Campus on Clay Kaserne and serves as a hub for various support services and resources aimed at enhancing well-being within the Wiesbaden community.
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