After serving in the Marine Corps for nearly 22 years and taking part in almost a dozen tests at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), Scott Zaehler is returning, but this time as the Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) Manager.
“Now that I am on the Garrison side, I see this as an excellent place that gives excellent support and excellent resources,” Zaehler said. “I am so happy to be here.”
The first time he came to YPG was in 1988. Stationed at 29 Palms, Zaehler took several trips to the YPG test ranges and even took part in amphibious crossings on the Colorado River.
However, his new role won’t involve much of that anymore, instead he will work with both the Soldiers and Civilians working on base to help communicate ‘healthier choices’ as they relate to drugs, alcohol, addiction, or mental health.
Zaehler wears many hats, he also serves as the Suicide Prevention Manager and Employee Assistance Program Coordinator.
“We don’t do crisis response, we do education training,” he said. Within that is the ability to self-refer for a treatment program pertaining to all forms of addiction, abuse, or mental health issues.
“It is never a sign of weakness to ask for assistance, if we don’t know how to do something that relates to our job we ask somebody who does.” And he adds in general things don’t get better on their own.
“If we don’t know how to fix a transmission on our car we take it to a transmission guy, and there is no shame in that. This is no different.”
Zaehler’s position comes with years of experience even after retiring from the Marine Corps.
“I have been in this field, on the Army side, since 2009,” Zaehler said. “And then substance abuse I did three years of that when I was in the Marine Corps.”
During those three years he attended the Naval School of Health Sciences and Navy Drug and Alcohol School where he served as a substance abuse counselor in Okinawa, Japan.
On the Army side he started as the ASAP manager in 2009 at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. He would then go on to work at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and U.S. Army Garrison Italy, Vicenza before making his way to Yuma Proving Ground.