COLUMBUS, Ohio –
An information resource fair capped off a month of events aimed at improving the health and well-being of federal employees at the Defense Supply Center Columbus.
Leaders at the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime declared Aug. 23 – Sept. 20 as Resiliency Month and affirmed their commitment to employees with events on the installation throughout the month.
The Sept. 20 Resiliency Resource Fair featured representatives from DSCC councils and directorates showcasing the various options available to meet physical and mental needs of the defense federal community.
Brenda Minnema, a DLA Land and Maritime management and program analyst and coordinator for the event, said the fair was organized in part as a response to the agency’s 2016 Culture Survey.
“One of the areas in which we saw an opportunity for improvement was the way we get information out to our workforce,” Minnema said. “The Culture Survey let us know that DLA associates valued our resiliency programs and they wanted to learn more about how they could participate.”
The fair included information booths for programs that correspond to the four components, or pillars, of DLA’s Resiliency Program.
For the Physical Pillar, representatives from DSCC’s Fitness Center discussed the selection of exercise options at the gym and elsewhere on the installation, including themed 5K walk/run events and a new walking club that begins in October.
Outdoor leisure equipment from the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Office was on display demonstrating the selection of kayaks, tents, grills and even inflatable bounce houses available for rent.
MWR Marketing Manager Jennifer Russell said promoting resiliency was one of the core values of her organization.
“Resiliency is our wheelhouse,” she said. “All that we do in MWR focuses on helping our warfighters, civilian supporters, retirees and families improve their quality of life, whether it’s improving physical strength and endurance through our 5K program, learning how to manage stress at an MWR Seminar, making social connections by joining a golf league or communing with nature on an Outdoor Adventure Program hike.”
DLA’s Equal Opportunity Office hosted a booth explaining the Agency’s Reasonable Accommodation policy. The program provides accommodations for associates with disabilities to enable them to perform their duties or gain access to the workplace.
Members of DSCC’s Employee Assistance Program, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, Human Resources and Financial Management Office were on hand to show how their organizations can promote the Mental Pillar of resiliency.
DSCC’s Chaplain Liaison Program represented the Spiritual Pillar, with information about counseling programs and resources such as the EEO meditation room inside the DLA Land and Maritime Operations Center.
One of the hallmarks of Land and Maritime’s climate of culture is the focus on diversity and the promotion of Special Emphasis Program events. These events often bring in guest speakers to talk to the workforce and share their stories. They also allow associates to learn more about their coworkers in a safe environment. Members of the SEP councils had booths at the resource fair and showed how these programs support the Social Pillar of resiliency.
Jayce Ashwell, an emergency services manager for the installation, said a key component of resiliency is being prepared for adversity before it happens. He said that planning in advance for difficult situations can often alleviate the negative results.
Ashwell was at a booth promoting the installation’s Preparedness Month Campaign. He said the month of September is a good time for associates to consider preparedness in all aspects of their lives.
“We want all employees on the installation to be prepared for any emergency – whether at home, in the office or out in the community,” he said. “We conduct regular security and safety training for employees on the installation, and as we head into a season of severe weather we encourage everyone to prepare for the winter hazards out there.”
More information on DLA Land and Maritime’s ongoing resiliency programs can be found at: http://www.dla.mil/LandandMaritime/People-and-Culture/Resiliency/
For additional information on Preparedness Month, visit: https://www.ready.gov/