New Program Launched For Troops And Families Overseas
Stuttgart, Germany
Military Service Members who are stationed at places around the globe, and their families, including the spouse of Service Members have a new opportunity for counseling support.
The new telephone consultation program, being put into service by Military OneSource, is designed to try and help people deal with stress and solve and manage issues in their lives. Subjects such as holiday loneliness, poor communication, parenting, stress, family problems, and grieving will be addressed and helped using this service.
This program is available to both families and deployed troops. Eligible Service member and Defense dept employees can access the system via a toll free number, which then transfers and links to a live employee counseling consultant who can provide up to six one hour visits via the telephone.
The service is available seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
Following a quality of life conference in Europe, it was decided that Family Support personnel would be needed to replace missing chaplains and therapists. Many health care professionals are going overseas with their units, leaving a bit of a void on the home front.
“We heard most of the feedback on the need for this new program from the families of Service Members, not the Service members themselves,” said Wayne Boswell, spokesman for EUCOM’s personnel directorate.
“Families are saying they are not experiencing the same level of services as when Servicemembers are actually here,” said Boswell. “We are going to try and change that impression.”