JANUARY 3, 2025 — As the new year begins, Soldiers, their families and Army civilians have a variety of tools and programs available to support their overall well-being. From holistic health and fitness initiatives to spiritual readiness resources, free counseling, sleep assistance and family support programs, the Army is committed to fostering resilience and balance. These resources ensure a comprehensive approach to strengthening mind and body for the challenges ahead.
The Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness, or H2F system, provides training and education to improve and maintain the readiness, resilience and performance of the total Army.
The H2F Performance Team is comprised of military professionals from the medical, dietary and religious support fields within the Army. The teams implement an interdisciplinary, holistic approach to the management of the physical and mental health of Soldiers, while also monitoring their well-being, and performance. The effort seeks to optimize physical and non-physical performance, reduce injury rates and improve rehabilitation after injury, ultimately increasing the overall readiness of the total Army.
Spiritual readiness is one component of the approach. This includes the development of personal qualities needed to sustain a person in times of stress, hardship or tragedy, according to the H2F Handbook. Spiritual readiness is not just about religion, although religion could play a key role for some. Spiritual readiness is about finding your purpose, believing in something, connecting with others, forgiving yourself and moving on from mistakes, getting along with those around you, living your values and serving selflessly.
Chaplains and religious affairs specialists provide various types of counseling and training for the command stemming from religious, spiritual, relational and general life training. They can provide various resources to connect people with their spiritual core to build the human spirit, body and mind.
Military family life consultants
The Military and Family Life Counseling Program provides free, confidential non-medical counseling to service members, their families and survivors on or near installations. Trained to work with the military community, military and family life counselors deliver valuable counseling services, briefings and presentations to the military community.
Counselors can help with improving relationships at home and work, stress management, adjustment difficulties, parenting and grief or loss. Adult and child and youth behavioral counselors are assigned to units, schools, child development centers and other locations worldwide.
Health.mil
Health.mil is the official website of the Military Health System. The Military Health System has many resources available to help service members, families or veterans who are struggling with mental health challenges.
Military families’ lives have unique challenges. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety and alcohol and drug abuse. This website offers tips and resources to help.
Military OneSource
Military OneSource provides links to transition assistance advisors to assist Army National Guardsmen and Reservists who are transitioning out of the military. It also provides links to VA benefits and counselors to Army veterans. The support on this site provides employment assistance, relocation assistance, education and training, physical and mental health well-being, health and life insurance, finances, disabled veteran benefits, legal assistance and federal benefits available to them. There is free chat support on the site 24/7.
Armed Forces Wellness Center
There are currently 35 Armed Forces Wellness Centers located at Army installations, offering programs and services to Soldiers, Family members, retirees and Department of Army civilians, said Hoover. AWCs are known for being innovative in the use of testing technology for health, wellness and physical performance.
They provide fitness testing, health education classes, metabolic testing, stress management, exercise prescription, body composition testing, classes and health coaching.
Clients set their own goals in these programs with AFWC staff creating individualized programs to help meet the goals. The AFWC approach to service is holistic. AFWC staff members take into account all of an individual’s physical, psychological and social circumstances when providing services.
By Shannon Collins