JBLM's Army Wellness Center

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, UNITED STATES

10.25.2016

Story by Sgt. DJ Borden 

5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

Meeting and maintaining the physical fitness standards of the military is necessary for all service members. Health and appearance are important factors for all branches.
The Army Wellness Center was established in 2013 and is the first wellness center on the installation. It has aided service members and Department of Defense identification card holders in reaching their health and fitness goals since its opening.
The program helps Soldiers to meet the Army Body Composition standards and educates them on the performance triad (activity, nutrition, sleep) and the differences between body fat and body mass index, which can make an impact in reaching goals, said Dr. Teresa Bruder, Director of the Army Wellness Center.
The AWC offers a number of services for many subjects. Stress management, good sleep habits, tobacco free living are just a few of the classes available at the center. The facility is equipped with a bodpod to test an individual’s body fat percentage and staff members are available for health assessment reviews.
The AWC recently partnered with Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston, I Corps command sergeant major, to create a new fitness initiative called “Tiger Team Initiative.” The intent is to improve unit readiness and support physical fitness standards and avoid injuries that can occur when over-training, Bruder said. She stressed the main goal of the Tiger Team Initiative was readiness.
By reducing injuries, the time needed to recover is also reduced and readiness and the number of Soldiers able to deploy is increased.
According to Bruder, Soldiers in the Army Body Composition program were more likely to be successful in weight and body fat loss compared to those who had no assistance.
“Almost 60 percent of clients saw a decrease in their BMI,” Bruder said. “70 percent had an increase in their cardiorespiratory fitness level.”
The AWC works to prevent Army physical fitness test failures before they occur. Individuals as well as entire units can utilize the services offered at the facility. Bruder believes the staff has a subject matter expert for every client’s needs.
“[Our staff has] a whole wide variety of backgrounds. They are health educators, nurse educators. They have sports medicine backgrounds and sports injury rehab backgrounds. The staff is really awesome,” Bruder said.
Bruder believes the location and staff as well as the services offered are why there is such positive feedback about the program from clients who have used the services. It has been a helpful way for service members in need of help to lose weight for career reasons as well as individuals looking to meet their personal health and fitness goals.
Bruder said, having a location at a gym has been beneficial to clients of the AWC. Fitness classes and evaluations are conducted in the same location as consultations making the experience convenient for clients.
For information about the Army Wellness Center visit the Jensen Gym at JBLM main post on Liggett Avenue.

• Date Taken: 10.25.2016
• Date Posted: 10.25.2016 20:08
• Story ID: 212920
• Location: JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US