Truman Hosts a "Mind, Body, Spirit" Day

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonnie Hobby

June 27, 2010 - ABOARD USS HARRY S. TRUMAN, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) launched a Mind, Body and Spirit Campaign June 25 to help crew members find healthy ways to tend to their personal growth during deployment.

The campaign was an all-day event held in the ship's hangar bay. Several booths were set up to educate crew members on topics as diverse as religious services and programs, healthy eating and exercise habits, physical therapy, mental health and professional development. Many Sailors and Marines stopped by to see what the booths had to offer.

"The whole purpose of this campaign is to educate individuals about the number of resources available on board the ship," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/FMF) Justin G. Pearce, Truman's psychiatric technician.

From his booth, Pearce instructed Sailors and Marines about personal hygiene and proper hydration techniques, an issue of critical importance as temperatures continue to rise.

At the next booth, Cmdr. Denise Milton, Truman's physical therapist, showed a Sailor some exercises to help align his spine, strengthen his back and improve the quality of sleep he was getting.

Senior Chief Navy Counselor (SW/EXW/AW) Ernest Andrew Jackson, Truman's command career counselor, said crew members can become so focused on mission accomplishment that they sometimes forget about taking care of their own physical and spiritual well-being.

"Having this information gives us more of an outlook on life outside our jobs," said Operations Specialist Seaman (SW) Noal White, one of the Sailors who attended the seminar. "Sometimes we get so absorbed in our work centers that we don't take time to think about anything else. Seminars like this help keep our morale up and allow us to focus on the other important aspects of our lives, such as our health."

In addition to picking up information packets, Sailors had the opportunity to obtain signatures for their enlisted air and surface warfare specialist personnel qualification standards (PQS) at the career booth and talk with career counselors on how to chart their military career.

Pearce said the visitors walked away with a lot of information, as well as a better sense of the programs that exist to help take care of their needs.

"The Sailors and Marines who came down seem to have gotten a lot out of the campaign," said Jackson. "The different booths always had visitors, and we've been taking down their questions so we can follow through with them and give them the information they need."

Jackson said another Mind, Body and Spirit seminar will be scheduled for the crew mid-deployment.