KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - On July 22, 2026, behavioral health personnel from the 68th Theater Medical Command (68th TMC) as well as the unit’s chaplain as part of their regular community outreach
program participated in a mental health and wellness seminar hosted by the military and
civilian staff at Stars and Stripes Europe & Expeditionary at their headquarters at Kleber
Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
The event primarily focused on the wellbeing of their civilian workforce, addressing the
numerous repetitive challenges they undergo in meeting regular deadlines with the goal
of ensuring quality news and information is published for their readership throughout the
theater and beyond daily.
The specialists who participated in the panel included Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Rickie
Wambles, Maj. Richard Murphy, the 68th TMC’s behavioral health officer, as well as
Capt. Cortney Mast, who also serves as a behavioral health officer under the 52nd Air
Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, who were
asked a variety of questions by the seminar’s moderator on diverse topics related to
mental health challenges and how best to cope with them.
“Any opportunity to engage with professionals like embedded behavioral health
providers and chaplains is an opportunity to gain a new perspective,” said U.S. Air
Force Lt. Col. Daniel Quinlan, the Stars and Stripes Europe & Expeditionary
commander. “I believe our team came away with a better understanding of the Army's
whole-person approach to readiness and resilience.”
Throughout the event, the staff of the European Stars and Stripes bureau were able to
engage with the three panelists to gain valuable insight into a variety of topics related to
work-related stress.
“One of the most valuable discussions focused on how behavioral health professionals
and chaplains complement one another in supporting our workforce,” Quinlan said.
“Most importantly, the event reinforced that building a resilient organization is a shared
responsibility—we all have a role in looking out for one another and fostering a
supportive work environment.”
Certain traits such as mental toughnessandresilience, as well as positive coping
behaviors, such as seeking advice from a trusted source and enlisting emotional
support, may help both military personnel as well as the civilian workforce address and
process these stressors and experiences.
The definition of Mental health is recognized as a state of being mentally and
emotionally sound, characterized by the absence of illness, proper adjustment, positive
self-regard and relationships, and the capability to handle daily life according to
Merriam-Webster.
“As I think about our professions, whether that is a Chaplain, mental health care
provider, journalist, public affairs and advertising professionals, we must realize that the
enemy -burnout - is not respecter of one professional. Burnout doesn’t care who we
are,” Wambles said. “It doesn’t matter what degree you hold, what awards you have
earned or what goals you have set for the future, and we must be diligent to work as a
team to combat it, so we can be and remain successful life.” Said Lt. Col Rickie
Wambles.
A great place to start for those who seek assistance is the U.S. Army Garrison
Rhineland-Pfalz Religious Support Office (RSO) which is located on Kleber Kaserne,
Wambles said. The RSO has a responsibility to provide religious care and support to all
Soldiers, Families and Civilians within our Garrison area of operation, [and they]
currently has a “Family Life Chaplain” who provides crisis, marriage, and family
counseling support to all Department of War personnel.
Maj. Murphy says that the month of May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness
Month, but it’s never too late to prioritize your mental wellness. Just like our physical
health, we need to stop and take care of our mental health. Taking care of your mental
health will help reduce stress, promote a positive attitude and outlook and improve the
quality of your relationships.
| Date Taken: |
08.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
08.06.2026 05:47 |
| Story ID: |
571713 |
| Location: |
KAISERSLAUTERN, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: |
38 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, 68th TMC Professionals Support Local Mental Health Seminar, by SFC Eric Johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
