Men’s Health Fair & Symposium emphasizes Performance Triad and Soldier readiness

Photo By Kimberly Hackbarth | Maj. Ezella Washington, the brigade surgeon for 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, speaks to male Soldiers during the Men’s Health Fair and Symposium Jan. 6 on Fort Hood, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kimberly Lessmeister/ 69th ADA Bde. Public Affairs Office)  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

01.08.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hackbarth 

69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade

FORT HOOD, Texas – Army readiness is the number one priority emphasized to Soldiers and leaders by Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chief of staff of the Army.

To ensure the medical readiness of the Soldiers of 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, the brigade surgeon cell held a Men’s Health Fair and Symposium Jan. 6-8, here.

The brigade held a Women’s Health Fair and Symposium in December 2015 and followed up with an event for male Soldiers as well.

Staff Sgt. Eric Rosser, the 69th ADA Bde. medical operations noncommissioned officer in charge, helped coordinate the event and the male-specific topics discussed during the event.

“The Men’s Health Fair is our brigade’s initiative to take the Performance Triad and Move to Health to the male Soldiers of the brigade to take a more proactive approach to medical readiness rather than a reactive approach,” said Rosser.

In 2012, Lt. Gen. (retired) Patricia D. Horoho, the former Army surgeon general, introduced the Performance Triad.

The Performance Triad emphasized that Soldier required balance in three areas: sleep, activity, and nutrition.

“The key messages are get more quality sleep, engage in activity and improve nutrition,” Rosser said. “If you’re able to do all three of those things you’re going to be healthier.”

Rosser said following the Performance Triad can help an overall mission and make a unit more combat effective.

“When we’re deployed, a lot of times we’re running missions 12-15 hours a day and definitely not eating well and that takes a toll on the Soldiers,” he said. “So, if the Soldiers are able to practice these habits in garrison and get the balance that they need, when they deploy, they’ll be able to implement these better.”

Move to Health is the Army Medical Command’s new initiative to empower the patient, said Rosser.

“(Move to Health) creates more of a partnership between the provider and the patient, so they are both mutually invested in the patient’s health,” he explained.

Maj. Ezella Washington, the brigade surgeon for 69th ADA Bde., discussed the Performance Triad and Move to Health as she led the event.

One of the major differences between the Women’s and Men’s Health Fairs was the focus on hypertension and hyperlipidemia, she said.

“I have a lot of young Soldiers in their 20s who are on anti-hypertensive and anti-cholesterol medicine and really shouldn’t be,” she explained.

Washington also discussed testicular and prostate cancer as well as erectile dysfunction with the male Soldiers in attendance.

One of the goals of the event was to help male Soldiers feel less embarrassed about discussing any issues they may be facing, Washington said.

“It’s a chance for them to gain knowledge and a chance to interact with their medical professionals and be comfortable enough to come and ask us questions,” she said.

Both the Men’s and Women’s Health Fairs allowed the brigade’s surgeon cell to reach a large amount of people at one time – something Washington said she hopes will become a regular event.

“Even though I won’t be with the unit forever, I would hope that this could become an annual thing,” she said.

• Date Taken: 01.08.2016
• Date Posted: 02.11.2016 15:56
• Story ID: 188642
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US