Army Wellness Center - Grand Opening of the Victory Center

1. Army Wellness Center -
Grand Opening of the Victory Center
by Mrs. Kendra Seat/Director, Army Wellness Center
June 21, 2013 marked
a milestone for Army
Wellness Center Fort
Riley. A ribbon cutting
ceremony was held to
officially open the
Army Wellness Center
and to also rename the
building in which it is
located from the Resil-
iency Learning Center
to the Victory Center.
The ceremony, which
was presided over by
Major General Funk,
not only signified the
opening of the Army
Wellness Center, but
also the combined focus
of Fort Riley’s Leaders
on the health and well-
being of our Soldiers,
Family Members, Retir-
ees, and Civilian work-
force.
Army Wellness Center
Fort Riley is committed
to improving our com-
munity’s health through
our 6 core programs,
which include health
assessment review,
healthy nutrition,
physical fitness, stress
management, general
wellness, and tobacco
education. Individuals
can self-refer, be re-
ferred by their primary
care provider or be re-
ferred by their unit to
the Army Wellness
Center. For appoint-
ments or more infor-
mation, please call
239-WELL (9355).
Inside this issue:
 Army Wellness Center—
Victory Center’s Grand
Opening
 Environmental Health
Water Laboratory
Accreditation
 Cutting the Budget and
Grass - Increasing
Hearing Loss?
Department of Public Health
Quarterly, Issue 2
July 2013
U S A M E D D A C F O R T R I L E Y , K S

2. For the past year the Environ-
mental Health (EH) section has
been striving to achieve accredi-
tation of their water lab.
Accreditation was achieved 18
June 2013 after an extensive in-
spection by the Kansas Depart-
ment of Health and Environment
on 9 April. The accrediting body,
the National Environmental Labo-
ratory Accrediting Conference
(NELAC), recognizes the EH Water
Lab as certified for analyzing wa-
ter for chlorine, pH, fluoride, and
bacteria including those naturally
found in the environment known
as total coliforms and E. coli.
Accreditation will authorize EH
to analyze all samples taken by
DPW-Environmental saving the
Army nearly $4,000 per year.
Accreditation strengthens our
service to our Soldiers and fami-
lies; congratulations to the EH
Staff, especially Lab Technician
Mr. Stephen Grau. Well done!
Please feel free to call for more
information or questions,
785.240.7373.
Page 2
Cutting the Budget and Grass – Increasing the Hearing Loss?
by CPT Ellie Young/Chief, Fort Riley Army Hearing Program
Environmental Health Water Laboratory
Accreditation by CPT Madeline McAlister/Chief, Environmental Health
some difficulties hearing, making sure
it does not get worse. The most ef-
fective is to turn down the sound to a
safe level, this generally is only going
to apply when listening to music.
Even if it is your favorite artist, if
played too loud you will have
changes to your hearing over time.
The second method for preventing
hearing loss is move away from the
sound source. However, this will only
work if it is not a vehicle or piece of
equipment that you have to be within
arm’s length in order to operate. The
last method, but easiest to use, is
hearing protection.
Hearing protection is actually made in
different sizes and types. Just be-
cause you like one particular type of
hearing protection and it stays in
your ears really well does not mean it
will work for your battle buddy. If
you have questions regarding hearing
protection or need assistance in ensur-
ing you have a proper fit, please call
our office at 785.239.7233/7539.
As fiscal constraints bring us back
to Soldiers maintaining the grounds
around buildings and along the
roadsides, do not let them forget to
have all of the proper PPE. Use of
mowers and weed eaters will ex-
pose a Soldier to sound levels over
85 dB, the level at which sound be-
comes hazardous to hearing.
The Fort Riley Army Hearing Pro-
gram’s mission is to provide these
four facets: Operational Services,
Clinical Services, Hearing Readiness
and Hearing Conservation. This in-
cludes educating Commanders and
Soldiers about the need to protect
hearing on and off duty when ex-
posed to sounds loud enough to
cause damage to the ear.
There are different ways of ensur-
ing your hearing is not at risk for
hearing loss, or if you already have
Department of Public Health