Photo By Michael Strasser | A tour of the Fort Drum Armed Forces Wellness Center and a discussion on nutrition...... read more read more
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (June 16, 2025) -- The Fort Drum Army Volunteer Corps Program hosted a Health and Wellness Day for military spouses June 13, which included a discussion on nutrition and a tour of the Armed Forces Wellness Center.
The “Well-being on the Homefront” event opened with a presentation from 1st Lt. Alicia Lee and 1st. Lt. Jessica Minick, dietitians at Guthrie Ambulatory Health Clinic.
“We’re covering a lot of general nutrition topics, but then we also want to give spouses some information about the services we provide as registered dietitians,” Lee said. “Sometimes that’s a big question we get from people who aren’t sure what the difference is between a dietitian and a nutritionist.”
Minick said that many wellness coaches and social media influencers refer to themselves as nutritionists without having any credentials or a formal health education background. But registered dietitian must have a master's degree, complete a supervised internship, and pass a national credentialing exam.
“Registered dietitians are qualified medical professionals who provide evidence-based nutrition counseling,” Minick said. “We stay up to date on research to provide our clients with the highest medical practice guidelines and the most current information. We provide counseling and education, and we can help you create realistic, approachable goals that you can reach and sustain over a lifetime.”
Minick said there is no one-size-fits-all nutrition plan, so a dietitian will tailor one that works with an individual’s medical history, lifestyle, and goals.
Their presentation also covered the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates, good and bad fats, proteins, and vitamins. Attendees were invited to ask any questions, sample healthy snacks, and pick up informational material about local food resources.
Dani Reed, AVC manager, said “Well-being on the Homefront” was part of the Friday mindfulness series that normally gets community members outside for trail walks.
“We decided to switch things up a little this week and partner with the Wellness Center,” she said. “This place is an amazing resource available to military spouses, and the staff here is wonderful. What we are trying to do with our mindfulness program is to focus on your health and your spirituality, and to just have a chance to meet other people in the community.”
Spouses met with the AFWC health educators, who explained how they work with Soldiers and family members to reach their health and wellness goals.
“It was exciting for us to partner with the Army Volunteer Corps Program and potentially bring people in here for the first time to learn what we do at the Armed Forces Wellness Center,” said Chris Ramie, Fort Drum Armed Forces Wellness Center director. “It was also great to have two dietitians talk about nutrition, and I think we all benefited from learning what they had to say today.”
Attendees toured the facility to see the different testing equipment used in AFWC programs, such as stress management, sleep education and health coaching. They could also receive a body composition measurement using the InBody device, which is an alternative to the BodPod. Ramie said it is an assessment that doesn’t require people to wear tight-fitting clothing during the testing, and it is faster to administer.
“I didn't realize everything they had here, and all the classes they offer,” Reed said. “I'm hoping that our spouses will share this information with their friends and maybe take some classes together.”
To learn more about the Fort Drum Armed Forces Wellness Center, visit https://guthrie.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Preventive-Care/Armed-Forces-Wellness-Center or call (315) 772-4608. The facility is in Bldg. 10550 on 5th Armored Division Drive.
The Fort Drum Army Volunteer Corps Program’s next wellness activity is a Warrior Trail walk from 10 a.m. until noon June 20. For more information, call (315) 772-2899 or visit https://home.army.mil/drum/about/Garrison/directorate-human-resources/soldier-and-family-readiness-division-sfrd/family-resource-center-frc/army-volunteer-corps. The AVC office is in the Family Resource Center, Bldg. 11042 on Mount Belvedere Boulevard.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2025 08:04 |
| Story ID: | 500678 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 41 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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