The holidays are a special time for families and friends to be together and celebrate life’s blessings, especially in a military community where change is often the only constant. I encourage you to enjoy the holiday festivities, but also take time to build and nurture your relationships. Share a smile with a stranger, help a neighbor and create good memories with friends and family. These connections will sustain you throughout the years to come.
At Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, we know nurturing relationships builds resilience which is the key component to a strong Army Family and sustainable force. This understanding stems from the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program, an Army-wide initiative highlighting five dimensions of strength including physical, emotional, social, family and spiritual. The program concludes that a person who is strong in these dimensions is more resilient despite the obstacles they may face. Fort Hood has completely embraced and implemented this initiative, and so has Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. From substance abuse and marriage and family counseling to weight control and physical fitness, CRDAMC has a program to nurture you and your family so that you are more resilient during difficult times.
In fact, the CRDAMC Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Center is a result of this initiative. The center offers several programs including tobacco cessation, nutrition awareness and functional fitness classes including wall climbing, Tai Chi, yoga and massage therapy. Their cognitive enhancement programs help with goal setting, attention control, energy management, learning and memory. They also provide a meditation area and various spiritual, emotional and behavioral counseling options. These programs are available to all Fort Hood Soldiers and their Families. For more information about any of these programs or to make an appointment call (254) 287-8219.
Another CRDAMC system of care that is ready to help nurture you and your family is our Behavioral Health Division which includes the Resilience and Restoration Center, the Warrior Combat Stress Reset Program, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Evaluation Services (CAPES), Family Advocacy, Medical Social Work, Social Work Care Management, Intensive Outpatient Program, adult inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services and the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic. Our providers offer a variety of treatment options including counseling, substance abuse intervention, psychiatric services, and medication management. For more information on these programs please talk to your primary care provider or contact the Resilience and Restoration Center at (254) 553-2288.
Our medical center Chaplain’s Office is also available to serve all your spiritual needs regardless of your faith base or religious preferences. CRDAMC’s chaplains are here to stand beside you through every stage of life and want to help you celebrate the joys and manage the struggles. They are located in the hospital basement near the main pharmacy, and offer regular chapel and prayer services and counseling. To request chaplain assistance or speak with a chaplain directly please call (254) 288-1757.
These are just a few examples of the wide range of programs and services we have at CRDAMC to nurture our beneficiaries and help them form stronger, lasting relationships. During this time of festivities remember, take a break from your regular holiday bustle to enjoy time with family and friends and nurture the relationships that are important to you. Be sure to make time for a little rest and relaxation for yourself too, and don’t forget that the staff at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center is here and ready to serve you.
Happy Holidays,
PDS
Col. Patrick Sargent
“Compassionate, World-Class Healthcare—One Patient at a Time”