Comprehensive Soldier Fitness: New Tool for Soldiers, Families, and Army Civilians

Filed under General, Resources, Training by on February 4, 2010 at 4:56 pm {one comment}

By LTC Jeanette Griffin, WTC Stratcom

The Army recently launched Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF), a new tool to help Soldiers, Families, and Army civilians face the physical and psychological challenges of sustained operations. CSF’s mission is to develop and institute a holistic fitness program in order to enhance performance and build resilience. The program focuses on five areas of fitness:

  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Social
  • Family
  • Spiritual

Participants complete the Global Assessment Tool (GAT) survey which rates their emotional, social, Family, and spiritual fitness. They are then directed to training modules that match their fitness levels on each of the different areas.

I took the GAT a few weeks ago and realized that an AKO log-in is required. The GAT took me about 15 minutes, and I was satisfied with the balance of my scores.

After completing the survey, I was intrigued, and I completed one of the Emotional modules called “Put It In Perspective”. This module also took about 15 minutes and helped me walk through an exercise where I avoided “catastrophic thinking”, or focusing on the worst-case scenario, and instead developed a plan for the more realistic possibilities. In the exercise, I was told that my senior leadership wanted to see me by the end of the day.

  1. First, I had to write out the “worst case” possibilities – that I might be fired, reprimanded, or given an impossibly difficult assignment.
  2. Then, I wrote out the “best case” possibilities, such as being promoted or given a raise or award.
  3. Finally, the module helped me look at the more realistic ideas – that my supervisor might be giving me feedback on a specific assignment or tasking me with a specific project, and I developed a plan for addressing the issue.

AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families are an incredibly resilient group of people who have overcome so much. This tool won’t solve the wide range of problems wounded warriors face during recovery and transition, but it may provide some tools to address the challenges that continue to surface. I encourage AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Family members to give it a try.

CSF emphasizes that the GAT scores are confidential, and individual scores will not be reported to Commanders or Leadership. CSF is not a screening tool for any physical or psychological disease or dysfunction. It is instead a self-assessment tool to help individual Soldiers, Family members, and Army civilians to evaluate their balance of their fitness levels on each of these dimensions.

2009 Annual Training in San Antonio

Filed under Advocate Story, Training by on April 30, 2009 at 4:01 am {no comments}

I am AW2 Advocate John Hulsey. I have been an AW2 Advocate since November 2007 at Brooke Army Medical Center.

I was excited to learn that the Annual AW2 Conference would be held in San Antonio this year. I knew that all of my fellow Advocates would have a wonderful time here. San Antonio is a great place to visit this time of year; The River Walk is not too crowded and the weather is great for getting out and walking around.

I know that for many of the Advocates and AW2 Staff this will be their first visit to this great city. Talking to them and listing to them explain where they visited and what they did the night before I know that they truly enjoyed their visit to the Alamo and the other attractions that are offered here. AW2 Staff seem to be really enjoying San Antonio’s rich tradition and diverse collection of outstanding restaurants and nightlife along The River Walk.

I was looking forward to this training to learn more about the changing role of the AW2 Advocates as we acquire the new mission of Recovery Care Coordinator. It was obvious from the training that we received on this that much work needs to be done as we move toward this new role. Even as we wait for policies and regulations to be developed and put in place, we have started preparing to change many of the things that go on behind the scenes.

Making these changes will require hard work and a shift in current AW2 paradigm. However, I believe that the end product will provide our Soldiers and their Families with a plan that will give control of their life back to them while assisting with their transition to their “new normal” and their new future.  While the AW2 Staff, at all levels, will be working hours upon hours to make these changes a reality, the only changes that the Soldiers will see are the enhanced services that we provide.

I once had a supervisor that would have called this the “swan effect.”  On the surface you see the swan as it glides smoothly across the water. If you look under the surface you see the swan’s feet going crazy trying to keep the Swan moving in the right direction. I believe that giving the Soldiers a plan with goals is the right direction for AW2 and I am confident that we will be able to transition to this new role without any interruption in services for our Soldiers and Families.

Becoming an AW2 Advocate

Filed under Advocate Story, Training by on February 3, 2009 at 2:16 am {no comments}

To all AW2 staff, Soldiers and Families,

I recently was provided the honor of becoming an advocate for the AW2 program.  I consider it an honor because of what we do everyday for the brave men and women who have sacrificed and their Families who have sacrificed right along with them.  This program, which is unlike any other, affords us the opportunity to give back in the form of a helping hand.   I have just completed the third day of training for new advocates, and so far have been impressed with the program and its functionality.

As a disabled retiree who worked his way from injury to separation hitting bumps in the road at each step in the process, I welcome the chance to provide service to our Soldiers and Families, to aid them in their journey as they transition back to duty or back to their community.  I have met many wonderful people within the organization, and can say with confidence that the Army Wounded Warrior Program is staffed with caring and passionate individuals who show genuine concern for the well-being of Soldiers and Family.  Our commitment to the program and to those we support is of the highest importance.  Without the dedicated personnel, the program would not be successful in caring for our severely wounded, ill and injured.

To the Soldiers and Families whom we support, know that we have your best interests at heart and wake up every morning with the desire to help you get where you deserve to be.  To the AW2 staff that have brought the program to the level that it is currently at, thank you, and continue to make great strides in all areas that our operation encompasses.  To the new advocates that I am currently training with, good luck to you all, and I can tell from our short time together that you will all do great things for our Soldiers and their Families.

Robert Lipp, AW2 Advocate

AW2 Advocate Training

Filed under Training by on February 2, 2009 at 6:14 pm {no comments}

- by Mark Stuart, AW2 Advocate -

I wanted to post a blog so my fellow advocates and AW2 Soldiers could get some insight into the training we have been receiving here in Alexandria, VA.

Although we have only been in training for three days, the wealth of information has been great. Now, I am not one with words, so please bear with me. I spent 23 years in the Army. That’s 23 years of giving and receiving training, so I think I am qualified to judge training. The training we are receiving has been outstanding – from those presenting the training, to the level of detail presented, and especially my classmates. It’s almost more valuable to hear the stories, experiences and opinions of my classmates than the actual presented class itself. Mike, Gerry and Patty have been an asset to this training. Meg, Mary, Jennifer and countless others have obviously placed a lot of time and effort into this, and there is still more to come. These Soldiers are going to benefit beyond measure from what we will be learning here. Thanks to all of the trainers and classmates that have made this an experience.

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AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families can submit a blog for AW2 by emailing WarriorCareCommunications [at] conus.army.mil.