CHEYENNE, Wyo. – “Resiliency is the ability for me as a human being to bounce back or return to healthy function after being faced with adversity,” said Maj. Leon E. Chamberlain, the behavioral health officer for the Wyoming Army National Guard.
As the behavioral health officer, it is Chamberlain’s mission to provide yearly mental health assessments to the soldiers, meet with soldiers facing struggles, and guide soldiers to the available mental health resources.
Another part of Chamberlain’s mission is to provide soldiers returning from deployment, and their spouses, the tools that will provide them the skills to develop resilience when faced with challenges, and the skills to be a healthy, functioning human being as they transition back to the civilian world.
The tools soldiers are educated on include the ability to recognize the thoughts, emotions, lack of emotions or behaviors oneself is experiencing, said Chamberlain.
“It is important to be a student of yourself,” said Chamberlain.
Soldiers need to really understand their thinking process, pay attention to their emotions, and know their strength and weakness, because the only person they have control over is themselves, he said.
Once soldiers really understand themselves, they need to give themselves permission to change the thoughts that they know have a negative impact on themselves and others they may come into contact with, said Chamberlain.
The last tool soldiers are provided with is the ability to recognize their own emotions and of others around them. The soldiers have to give themselves permission to feel emotion and understand that people around them feel the emotions as well, Chamberlain said.
“You can’t change someone else because you can’t change their thought process,” said Chamberlain, “but you can change yourself and prevent a bad outcome.”
Chamberlain said he recommends that soldiers prepare for resiliency before returning home by having a strong idea of who they are and where they are going. It is important to be flexible and be willing to reach out for help.
Another key to resiliency is having a support system the soldiers know they can rely on, Chamberlain said.
“Know the people around you,” said Chamberlain. “Support them and encourage them, because they may not always ask for help.”
According to Chamberlain, if soldiers get to know the people around them, they may be able to help the soldier without the soldier having to ask for help. Also, soldiers who are struggling need to surround themselves with people who they know the soldier can go to anytime, he said.
Resiliency is important to soldiers returning home from deployment because their belief and value system has been challenged, as well as they have been separated from their family for an extended period of time, said Chamberlain.
“Resiliency has helped me to not just survive, but begin and re-establish after a significant relationship loss,” Chamberlain said. “It gives me the belief that the information I give the soldiers can help them have a strong, healthy life after experiencing adversity.”
For those soldiers struggling with developing a sense of resiliency, Chamberlain suggests the soldier seek education from a qualified individual. Organizations such as, the Wyoming Veterans Advocacy and the Wyoming Veterans Commission can provide soldiers assistance with mental health counselors. Soldiers can also contact Maj. Leon Chamberlain at 307-359-2430 for assistance.
“Take being healthy serious,” said Chamberlain. “Be willing to be transparent to people, and develop a healthy working support system.”