Walk weighted words promote awareness of mental health at the Humphreys camp | Article

Humphreys camp, South Korea – Imagine the feeling of freeing a heavy burden – lightness, renewed energy, freedom. It was the vision behind the march of weighted words, organized by the suicide prevention program at the US military garrison Humphreys, on May 15, as part of the month of awareness of mental health.

Using from 6.30 a.m. to 8 a.m., the promenade invited community members to physically carry written words or sentences which represented personal charges – challenges, anxiety or emotional weight – and symbolically releases them at the end of the route.

The participants chose their own starting points, walking individually or in small groups to the gathering area designated in the 501 building, the Humphreys Hub. There, they were welcomed by the SGT Command of Usag Humphreys. Major Salvador G. Garcia and various community services.

“No one should suffer in silence. If you have trouble, say something. It does not leave – is fighting,” Garcia told participants when they met at the center. “Talk to a teammate, take a break, get help. If you see a soldier struggle, don’t wait. Ask how it’s going, and above all, listen.”

At the end of the walk, the participants dropped their “weighted words” in a bac as an act of symbolic liberation. The resource tables were organized by the army’s mistreatment program, the community of the army, the response and prevention program of the army of good harassment / sexual assault, the army well-being center, the counseling of military family life and the transition assistance program.

The organizers of Walk weighted words aimed to reduce the stigma of mental health care by combining physical activity, open conversation and access to resources.

“We hope that this walk helps to normalize the act of seeking support, and above all, we hope that it reminds everyone that they are not alone,” said Kimberly Smith, coordinator of the suicide prevention program and principal organizer for the event.

Smith added that Walk weighted words highlighted a wider mission to build a culture of mental well-being at the Humphreys camp, where open dialogue and connection are part of daily life.

May is the month of awareness of mental health and the USAG Humphreys promotes a culture where the search for mental health care is both accepted and sustained. USAG Humphreys encourages soldiers, civilians and family members who may have trouble with their mental health to ask for help.

The garrison of the US military Humphreys is the “army domicile in Korea”. The garrison area of ​​responsibility includes the Humphreys camp, the Yongin camp, the K-16 aerodrome and 11 other smaller sites in areas II and III of American forces in Korea. Camp Humphreys – Located along the west coast of the Republic of Korea in the city of Seaport, Pyeongtaek – is the hub of the USFK and the siege of the eighth army, the 2nd infantry division, and the most active aerodrome in the American army in the Pacific – Airfield of the Army ofiderio.