Photo By Spc. Micheala Maldonado | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Alexis Mariscal, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa...... read more read more
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Service members at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, were treated to a full spectrum of support July 1 during a Wellness Expo. The community-focused event was designed to promote mental, physical, and emotional resilience in a high-tempo deployed environment.
Organized by the Combined Joint Task Force- Horn of Africa Behavioral Health, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) and Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP), Equal Opportunity and Preventative Medicine teams, the event emphasized prevention, early intervention for mental health, and stress management in a deployed environment. Stations were set up around the CLDJ gym, offering therapeutic services, peer support, and interactive activities. Attendees were even able to receive battlefield acupuncture treatments, speak with mental health professionals, or take part in group fitness sessions.
“The Wellness Expo sought to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking behaviors through interactive experiences and relaxed conversations with CLDJ’s health and wellness experts,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col Pamela Horner, CJTF-HOA behavioral health officer.
Behavioral health played a key role in the expo, with a team of clinicians and technicians on-site to answer questions, offer check-ins, and break down stigmas around seeking care.
“We’re fighting generations of ‘suck it up’ mentality, but things are changing,” Horner explained. “We don’t document unless there’s a clinical need, and we always talk through that with the service member. A lot of what people experience here is just operational stress, not a diagnosable condition.”
With the ever-present pressures of deployment, ranging from long hours and environmental stress to the challenge of working and living in close quarters – mental readiness is a priority.
“It was good to see people looking for alternatives, and supporting a wellness event,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Yesenia Chavez, CJTF-HOA paralegal. “I was able to learn about the benefits of acupuncture and engage in a community who supports mental health.”
Despite progress, stigma surrounding behavioral health still lingers in military culture. Myths about fitness for duty, loss of confidentiality, or being perceived as “weak” remain major barriers to early care-seeking.
When asked what advice she would give those navigating stress while deployed, Horner pointed to the basics of, “nutrition, hydration, moderate exercise, sleep, and how you talk to yourself. Those are the big ones. That’s your medicine.”
She added that self-awareness is the key first step. “When you start feeling off, don’t ignore it, take inventory (and) make adjustments, and if that’s not enough, come see us. That’s what we’re here for.”
Whether through mindful yoga or conversations over coffee, July’s event highlighted what many at Camp Lemonnier already know: readiness isn’t just about physical strength, it's about taking care of the whole self. Events like the Wellness Expo serve not only as outreach opportunities, but as affirmations of the base’s commitment to total force wellness.
For more information on mental health resources, visit the Behavioral Health Clinic at Camp Lemonnier or contact the wellness team through your unit leadership.
| Date Taken: | 07.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.08.2025 04:10 |
| Story ID: | 545140 |
| Location: | DJ |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Camp Lemonnier puts resilience first, hosts Wellness Expo, by SPC Micheala Maldonado, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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