CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Staff from the Camp Arifjan Wellness Center held a Health and Wellness Fair for deployed service members and civilians at the main U.S. Army Central headquarters here May 1. The goal of the fair was to promote the services provided at the center and to encourage attendees to make better lifestyle choices.
“The Health and Wellness Center is here to promote healthy practices and to create a supportive group environment. I think sometimes people don’t understand how to make healthy choices for themselves; there are so many different magazines or books encouraging them to try this or that new diet or exercise,” said Capt. Justin Washington, officer in charge of the center.
“It gets confusing. There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” he continued. “We’re here to get people to a healthy standard of care and help them reach certain goals.”
Washington encouraged Soldiers to use the Army’s Performance Triad (activity, nutrition and sleep) as a general guide toward leading a healthy lifestyle.
The event featured a myriad of health services, including blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose testing and a body composition test.
“[These tests] gives them better visibility on where they stand in their overall health and it gives them somewhere to start if they need to improve in certain areas,” said Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Cichomski, noncommissioned officer in charge of the center. "We want to keep the force ready.”
Cichomski explained that some of the attendees understood certain illnesses were prevalent within their families, but they weren’t sure if they would be affected. Getting these tests could help them identify issues to discuss with their primary care givers.
He also said, for Reserve Soldiers in particular, it was important to take advantage of these services while they are here because they can be costly in the private sector.
For Bonita Seals, a logistics analyst with ARCENT, health is a priority in her life. She said that she knew she had to keep her cholesterol monitored, and she told others in her section to take advantage of the fair.
“It’s all about being healthy,” she said. “And it was awesome to have these services available in the same building I work in.”
For more information about the services provided by the Health and Wellness Center, including how to seek the services of a dietitian, call the Wellness Center at DSN 430-1802 or 430-5022.