The United States Forces - Iraq Commanding General, Gen. Ray Odierno, visited the Resiliency Campus at Contingency Operating Base Basrah during his visit to the base, Aug. 18.

“I think some people get scared away from groups, so they want someone to develop something for them so they can improve, and you can find all of that here,” Odierno said.

To accomplish this, the set of buildings incorporates everything from a gym and nutritional counselors to mental health professionals and computers for making Internet-based video calls to family.

The chaplain’s office also plays a role, but it is one of open invitation to explore individual faith with an atmosphere allowing Soldiers as much interaction with chaplains and other Soldiers as they wish. This is accomplished with a small library of books covering a wide range of religions and a room for meditation.

“It is different from a chaplain in the sense that this is an unobtrusive environment,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Gary Fisher, 1st Infantry Division deputy division chaplain from Abilene, Kan. “It’s an opportunity for them to come and do research, to learn, to meditate, to grow, to ask questions, to enter into debate, to be able to just explore their own personal journey, explore their own personal faith and their faith walk.”

The campus allows a “whole-person” approach to the stresses service members face. When someone is suffering in one area, other parts of their life and health can impact their ability to cope. The holistic approach makes it possible, for instance, for troops struggling with physical fitness to come seeking help with their workout or diet, and find help for other situations they might not have thought were even impacting their physical fitness.

Not surprisingly, physical condition can dramatically impact a person’s ability to deal with other stresses.

“The overall goal is to ensure that [service members] are not only physically fit, but emotionally and spiritually fit – with family and socially,” said Sgt. Maj. Bryan Barren, 1st Inf. Div. Surgeon Cell, who has overseen the creation of the gym portion of the campus.

“It’s a place for a Soldier to come and feel like any of their needs can be taken care of,” Barren, a Baltimore native, said.

Maj. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, United States Division-South and 1st Inf. Div. commander, said all of the gym equipment had been re-purposed from facilities closing down as part of the drawdown of forces in Iraq, eliminating the need to purchase new equipment.

He also noted, in response to Odierno’s comment that it was important to carry the resiliency efforts back home with units when they leave theater, that the campus here is actually modeled after one at Fort Reilly, home of the 1st Inf. Div.

“I’ve always had a lot of respect for the 1st Infantry Division, specifically the current leadership,” Odierno said. “I have a lot of confidence in your abilities, but more importantly … how you take care of your Soldiers, and it’s been an honor to work with you, all of you.”