Photo By Staff Sgt. Apolonia Gaspar | U.S. Army Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa behavioral health team at Camp...... read more read more
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I began my academic journey as a biology major with pre-medical aspirations, but a psychology elective quickly redirected me toward the field of mental health. I have always been fascinated by what makes people tick.
From a young age, I have been an empath; even as a shy child, people felt comfortable talking to me. Now, I have the privilege of walking alongside service members and helping them through their struggles. I’ve learned the key to success in this profession lies in our ability to feel deeply for others, while still maintaining the emotional separation required to carry on the mission without burning out.
I became a licensed professional counselor, earned my master’s degree in counseling, and ultimately achieved my Ph.D, eventually establishing my own private practice. Everything changed for me when, one day, I received a recruitment letter from the National Guard. This letter offered me an opportunity to serve — a dream I once believed I had missed. It gave me the chance to transform my calling as a mental health provider into a mission bigger than myself.
I quickly learned serving in the military is vastly different from civilian practice. I did not anticipate all the additional responsibilities that would come with military life. Yet, some of those responsibilities became the most memorable moments — setting up tents and cleaning weapons — were the very experiences which helped me build camaraderie with my unit.
At Camp Lemonnier (CLDJ), I serve as the lead behavioral health officer, advocating for the mental well-being of our deployed service members and collaborating with other behavioral health professionals. When I am not conducting appointments at CLDJ, I partake in battlefield circulations, which is when we travel to the various forward deployed locations, supporting security missions, to ensure behavioral health support reaches all members, whether they are at CLDJ or elsewhere. When working with service members, I focus on empowerment. My goal is to provide them the tools they need to develop self-awareness and better understand their needs in a safe space. I want everyone to know they have a safe space with me.
My advice to service members is this: practice self-awareness, understand your mental state and its fluctuations. Learn how to regulate, mitigate, and navigate the psychological landscape of deployment. These skills can help stabilize and ground you, and when stabilization isn’t enough - when you still feel overwhelmed - reach out. We are here to help.
This work is not just a profession for me, it’s my calling - my life’s mission. Every service member I help and every mind I support represents a personal and professional victory.
(Editor’s note: This story is based on interviews with U.S. Army Lt. Col. Pamela Horner)
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.08.2025 04:09 |
| Story ID: | 545142 |
| Location: | DJ |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Serving soldiers, supporting minds, by SPC Micheala Maldonado, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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