HEALTHY BOOST
THE 3rd Brigade is launching the Human Performance Centre ( HPC) North Queensland, a restructure of the previous Soldier Recovery Centre.
The HPC is a facility focused on all areas of a soldier’s development, not just on the injured or ill.
The amalgamation will extend to health and wellbeing, as well as the physical and intellectual needs.
Officer In Charge of the HPC Major Simon Bowen said the resilience programs were targeted to prevent injury.
“When we boost components of intellectual, character and physical, you’re likely to have a reduction in risk down the track of mental or physical illness,” Major Bowen said.
The previous centre was being managed by the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, but ownership had been transferred to 3rd Brigade Headquarters.
Major Bowen said Forces Command had directed all soldier recovery centres to replicate what was being delivered in Townsville.
“We have two courses going which include a return to work which focuses on personnel coming back from injury,” he said.
“Most of them will come in for about six weeks to physically boost them up and get them used to the army life coming out of a long period of rehabilitation or injury.
“These injuries aren’t from heavy operational deployments … they’re from the rigours of army life, your general day- to- day activities.”
Major Bowen said more energy was being put behind a transition program to assist discharging personnel with a successful move back into the civilian community.
“It’s to make the process a lot smoother,” he said.
“It’s somewhat of a de- conditioning from the army.
“The day that you join the military you get told what to do, from that point on your life is managed by your unit and the people senior to you.
“The risk then becomes if you don’t turn that off and leave the army with the ability to self- manage a little bit more.
“We assume everyone should be able to do that but it’s not the case.”
Since early 2017 there have been distinct transition support courses to meet the needs of personnel.