CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait — The 1972d Medical Detachment helps bring overall wellness to the fight for today's warfighters by offering strategies, tools, and skill sets that can help U.S. service members cope with deployments and the hardships that come with it.
The 1972d Medical Detachment, United States Army Reserve, of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., is a U.S. Army Reserve unit that provides direct support combat and operational stress control (COSC) prevention and treatment services. It assumed responsibility from the 113th Medical Detachment during a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, May 13, 2019.
The unit has several licensed mental professionals and behavioral health specialists who can mobilize teams and reach the warfighter where they live and work throughout the U.S. Central Command area of operations. The COSC offers a variety of preventive and interventional services that focus on sleep, anger, stress, anxiety and helps improve workplace relationships.
"It is important to realize that you can go to the gym, exercise, eat healthy, and take vitamins," said Lt. Col. Renn Polk, 1972d COSC commander. "But unless you take time to deal with what is going on in your head and heart, you will still be unhealthy."
The 1972d offers several programs, including 'Forging Iron Teams' and 'Iron Reset Program', which can help identify areas for unit improvements to the commander using COSC resources. They also offer yoga, team building, mediation, suicide prevention, and traumatic event management.
"Our team believes in what we do, and we believe in them," said Polk. "Our team educates and empowers others, and we are an invaluable asset for individuals and command teams, and we welcome them all."