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The Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) program at NB San Diego, Calif. — homeport to the Navy's Pacific fleet — is all about supporting the fleet and family through quality-of-life programs and facilities.
“We believe that MWR has a direct impact on the readiness and retention of the troops, and we focus a lot on our core programs, which is deployed forces support, fitness, sports, aquatics, single sailor facilities — these are the heartbeat of MWR,” says NB San Diego Fleet and Family Readiness Director Ron Vogel.
In the area of fitness, NB San Diego has a great responsibility in supporting fleet and family members.
 Members of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command Operators are lifted from the ground by a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter. |
The importance of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) cannot be overstated, as these brave warriors are our greatest weapon in the continuing Global War on Terror (GWOT). The FY 2011 budget request of $6.3 billion for USSOCOM is an increase of 5.7 percent over FY 2010, reflecting the priority to focus on irregular warfare and to strengthen core special operations capabilities. Overall, funding will add about 2,800 new SOCOM personnel in FY 2011.
The newest SOCOM command, Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), has been very active over the past six months. Prior to the ribbon cutting of a new headquarters building on Stone Bay at MCB Camp Lejeune, N.C. on Nov. 20, 2009, Maj. Gen. Mastin Robeson, USMC, passed the reins of command to Maj. Gen. Paul Lefebvre, USMC, making him the third commander of MARSOC. Following the change of command, Robeson retired from the Marine Corps after 34 years of service.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Headquarters building, Gen. James Amos, USN, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, was presented with a KA-BAR knife, and Adm. Eric T. Olson, USN, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, was presented with a Marine Raider Stiletto to cut the ribbon.
 The CAREN system has a split-belt treadmill that runs the length of the platform with an independent integrated force plate under each belt. Body movements are acquired by a 10-camera motion capture system. |
It is an exciting time at the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) Warfighter Performance Lab at NB Point Loma, Calif., which is in the midst of standing up its newest technological advancement: A Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) or Virtual Environment (VE) system. The CAREN at the NHRC lab is one of seven in use in the world today; the system is also being used in clinical settings at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center's Military Amputee Training Center, Washington, D.C., and the Brooke Army Medical Center's Center for the Intrepid. What makes the development of the CAREN or VE system at the NHRC lab different than the ones developed at the U.S.-based facilities is its capability to be used not only for clinical or rehabilitative purposes but also for improving performance and strengthening resilience.
“We are really trying to expand the capabilities of the CAREN system to do a number of things in new and emerging areas of research, which is why in general we refer to it as a Virtual Environment (VE),” says Capt. Lanny L. Boswell, USN, Ph.D., head, NHRC Warfighter Performance. “We've taken the CAREN, which has certain protocols set up for gait training, for example, and Dr. Bartlett and her staff has taken that to another level by integrating different operational environments and things of that nature, so we can better simulate what the warfighter is going to go back to.”
Click for Complete "The Future Is Now: Inside the NHRC's New Virtual Warfighter Lab"
 The newly renovated Bonnyman Bowling Center at MCB Camp Lejeune. |
Military bowling program managers from each service will be rolling into Las Vegas for the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) International Bowl Expo 2010, June 27 to July 1, at the Las Vegas Hilton and Las Vegas Convention Center. Keynote speaker Sarah Palin will speak during the general session on the morning of June 30 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Bowl Expo offers bowling operators the opportunity to share with and learn from their peers about successful practices and popular trends, as well as get a first-hand look at the latest bowling equipment, products and services from the industry's best companies.
The Armed Forces Bowling Conference (AFBC), which is held in conjunction with Bowl Expo, brings approximately 120 military bowling managers together to meet by service, to network and share ideas among peers and check out the latest equipment and products on the trade show floor.
Click for Complete "Military Bowling Rolls into Vegas"
 Sgt. Roy Mitchell, who lost most of his left leg to an anti-tank mine in Afghanistan, admires his drive from a specialized adaptive golf cart during a First Swing golf clinic for wounded warriors. |
For veterans receiving treatment at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center (VAMC), in Augusta, Ga., recreation therapy provides a needed outlet while introducing them to activities that they can continue to enjoy for a lifetime. From Adaptive golf at one of Augusta''s most prestigious golf courses in the world (home of the Masters) to kayak football and hand cycling –– the VAMC Augusta is an exemplary program that continues to evolve and grow. Just recently, the VAMC began working with Entre Prises Climbing Walls to provide climbing enthusiasts at the VA with a challenging wall that can also provide opportunities for adaptive climbing.
“With the new population of veterans coming back from OEF/OIF, we've got younger guys who still want and enjoy being active,” explains Eric Gray, recreation therapist, Charlie Norwood VAMC. “We put the idea out there about a new climbing wall among our veterans and got a lot of interest from not only our active duty rehab unit but also guys dealing with PTSD, those in the spinal cord injury unit as well as our blind rehab unit. We saw the potential to be used with all populations.”
The VAMC in Augusta is the only VA in the country to have an Active Duty Rehab unit, made up of soldiers who, once rehabbed, go back to full duty.
“We are looking at ways to keep them active and involved, and at different leisure pursuits,” notes Gray. “So I started a kayaking program and then a cycling program and an adaptive golf program – we just want to continue to build programs where we think there is interest.”
Click for Complete "Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center: The Power of Recreation Therapy"
The Resiliency Campus at Fort Hood, Texas, recently added a new climbing wall to the functional fitness center, bringing a whole new dimension of training and recreational fun to soldiers and families.
“I wanted to incorporate something into the fitness center that would foster family resiliency as well as unit solidity,” says Col. William Rabena, Commandant of the Fort Hood Resiliency campus. “With a climbing wall, kids of all ages, soldiers, and families alike can come together and engage in an activity that builds cohesion.”
The climbing wall, which was purchased from Eldorado Climbing Walls, is 30-feet long, 30-feet high, and 10 feet at its deepest point. In addition to the wall, there is a youth boulder that is utilized for younger and beginner climbers. The wall is complete with belay and auto belay lines.
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On the Cover: Members of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command Operators are lifted from the ground by a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter.
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