Eielson traumatic stress response team helps servicemembers cope

  • Published
  • By Capt. Cheryl Galarza
  • Traumatic Stress Response team chief
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Service members and their families don't have to cope with the emotional aftermath of a traumatic event alone.

The Eielson Traumatic Stress Response team, formerly known as the Critical Incident Stress Management team consists of representatives from the Mental Health Flight, the Airman and Family Readiness Center and the Base Chapel. All team members are trained helping professionals who receive quarterly instruction on the many facets of trauma response and support.

The primary goal of the TSR team is to help foster resiliency for those exposed to potentially traumatic events. Such events may include physical assault, severe automobile accidents, terrorist attacks, natural or man-made disasters, combat actions, or witnessing serious injuries.

TSR teams are part of a Department of Defense-directed initiative which operates under Air Force Instruction 44-153 at each Air Force base. The TSR team consults with leaders regarding potentially traumatic events, prepares personnel likely to be exposed to potentially traumatic events by conducting pre-exposure training, provides psychological first aid when traumatic events occur, plus offers screening, education and referrals.

The TSR AFI allows people who experience or witness a traumatic event to receive up to four one-on-one meetings with any member of the TSR team without documentation in the medical record. MSgt Fairchild, Mental Health NCOIC, explains that "TSR is flexible enough to be tailored to the needs of the group or individual; and they're given time to work through any potential problems at their own pace. It's normal for people to have a bit of a hard time after a trauma, but with support most people bounce back pretty quick."
Maj. Larry Kroll, 354th Medical Operations Squadron Mental Health Flight commander, expands on TSR's positive impact on the mission, "First we want to make sure that before a trauma happens our folks are prepared. It's also good for the commander because he can call us up after an incident and we can help him decide how to respond. Plus this program helps Airman get back up with as little down time as possible."

For more information on TSR, contact team chief Capt. Cheryl Galarza at 377-3071.