Military OneSource Assists Service Members and their Families with Maintaining their Health and Wellness

Ed. note: This is part of a series of blogs about wellness issues for Military Families, Veterans, and Service members. Check back for more Wellness Wednesday blogs, where we will cover topics relevant to the holistic health of the military and veteran communities.

I know that at my home, and probably yours, the last few weeks of the year can be a busy and sometimes overwhelming time. Amidst the holiday craziness, making sure we pay attention to our health and wellness is more important than ever. Listening to our bodies, finding time to rest our minds and releasing our stress are critical aspects of achieving and maintaining wellness.

As a military spouse, I understand the abundance of energy our military members and their families expend in service to our country. With the stresses that accompany both everyday life and military life, it’s important to have access to high-quality health and wellness resources to retain a sense of balance. A great wellness resource that active-duty, National Guard or reserve service members and their families have access to is Military OneSource. 

Military OneSource offers a wealth of great resources, including confidential, non-medical counseling and health and wellness coaching. This free resource connects individuals with non-medical counseling support to help them work through issues that those in the military community are all too familiar with, such as relocation adjustment, stress, job-related concerns, separation of a loved one, parenting challenges, personal financial management, and more.

Military OneSource Confidential coaching is available over the phone, online and through self-directed programs. Service members and their families can call 800-342-9647 or go online to sign up. The self-directed Living series, which is also found online, consists of health and wellness courses that help individuals manage their weight, manage stress or develop an exercise regime at their own pace.

As 2013 comes to a close, take time to take care of yourself. Good health takes work, and we owe it to ourselves to make sure we have the support, encouragement and accountability to achieve our maximum potential.  

Rory Brosius is the Deputy Director of Joining Forces