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News | Nov. 22, 2019

Troop Support “stands down” for safety, resiliency

By John Dwyer III DLA Troop Support Public Affairs

Employees from the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support were educated on warning signs of stress overload and ways to balance work and personal life during a “Safety Stand Down” event Nov. 21 in Philadelphia.

Throughout the day, employees had opportunities to attend a presentation from DLA Chaplain Army Col. Robert Wichman, speak one-on-one with him and participate in discussions focused on safety and resilience.

DLA Troop Support Deputy Commander Richard Ellis, who provided opening remarks for the day, spoke on the importance of balance and self-care as an aspect of safety.

“Take heed of my words: work-life balance is important,” Ellis said. “Continue to provide the world-class warfighter support that you do, but [don’t forget to] take care of yourself … safety is not just about [physical] workplace hazards.”

Wichman reminded employees of the importance of developing mechanisms to deal with stressors such as financial trouble, relationship issues and overload at work.

He said that seeking help from those who have the knowledge and capability to assist should be seen as a strength, and asked employees to seek help when it’s needed – even if the pain they feel is “invisible.”

“What would you do if you had a broken arm?” Wichman asked. “Would you try to set it and put a cast on by yourself? I wouldn’t. I’d go to a doctor who was trained to help with the kind of problem I had.”

After the presentation, Wichman was available for one-on-one discussions, and supervisors throughout DLA Troop Support hosted safety and resiliency-based discussions with employees.

The event supported DLA’s People and Culture Plan that focuses on sustaining people, fortifying culture, and protecting the workforce, among other objectives.