Brigade Resiliency Team addresses safety

By Private 1st Class Shawn Denham
101st Sustainment Brigade

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. October 21 – The 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, has initiated a new program designed to identify, aid and assist at-risk soldiers in regards to personal safety and mental welfare.
The Brigade Resiliency Team is part of a base wide initiative that will attempt to focus on bringing all units together to actively give aid to at-risk soldiers and their families. The program is also a direct response to recent incidents both on and off post during the past several months, most recently during the Columbus Day weekend.
“Soldiers are our greatest asset, and we have to exhaust every resource we have to protect them,” said Staff Sgt. Jeffery W. Duncan, chaplain’s assistant for the 101st Sustainment Brigade Unit Ministry Team.
The Resiliency team will consist of several key leaders within the brigade. They include the following members:
• The brigade surgeon leads the individual teams, and offers both medical and psychiatric referral to health care providers.
• The brigade Judge Advocate General (JAG) notifies the brigade surgeon of potential at-risk Soldiers, as well as refer the Soldiers to health care providers.
• The brigade Chaplain conducts confidential one-on-one counseling with the Soldier and offers assistance according to each situation. A chaplain’s assistant can act on the Chaplain’s behalf in their absence. A ‘duty to warn’ exception is in place in the event of a soldier possibly being an active danger to himself or those around him.
• The Military Family Life Consultant’s purpose is to grant families of at-risk soldiers guidance and counseling. The intent of the program is to protect the soldier, his family, career and overall unit welfare and readiness.


According to the Brigade Resiliency Team Standard Operating Policy (SOP), possible causes related to self-endangerment include debt, divorce or other family issues, religious conflicts, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, Driving Under the Influence, unsafe driving practices and workplace issues.
Duncan said the team’s goal is to open lines of communication between the soldier and the chaplain, directing the soldier to aid if needed.
Captain Jesse P. DeLuca, brigade surgeon for 101st Sustainment Brigade and leader of the 101st Sustainment brigade Resiliency team, said the program actively searches for people who need assistance or guidance as soon as a problem arises.
“It’s not like we need to advertise and say 'come to us', because that’s a step backwards,” he said. “It’s the people that may not know about us we need to seek out,”
“It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength and being able to train properly,” DeLuca said.