BAUMHOLDER, Germany -- 254th Medical Detachment returned to Baumholder, Jan. 11 after a 9-month deployment to the Central Command area of responsibility.
The 254th – a combat operational stress control unit -- worked with joint and multinational forces and other brigade and division-level Army behavioral health teams to provide behavioral health services in support of Operation Spartan Shield, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Freedom Sentinel.
Soldiers served on rotations from Kuwait to Iraq, Jordan, and Afghanistan, completing more than 30,000 behavioral health contacts and 500 command consultants.
254th Medical Detatchment – led by the command team of Lt. Col. Robert Parish and Sgt. 1st Class Clayton Cope – provided services in Traumatic Event Management, Warrior Yoga, iRest, and suicide prevention.
Behavioral health teams organized activities such as gospel concerts, an honor walk for suicide awareness, and "Family Feud" game nights to keep Soldiers engaged and to promote prevention.
Soldiers excelled physically through their participation in marathons, weightlifting, and fitness competitions. One popular challenge was the Eagle Talon hosted by 86th Combat Support Hospital, which was a 5-day event consisting of swimming in uniform, ruck march, medical tasks, an essay and a board. Soldiers of the detachment participated in monthly and quarterly 86th CSH Soldier competitions, with two Soldiers winning the quarterly challenge.
Sgt. Joseph Vanderhall -- who served in locations throughout Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq -- remarked that the highlight of the deployment was seeing the impact that behavior health makes on Soldiers’ lives.
The 30th Medical Brigade command team, Col. Timothy Bosetti and Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Baller, and the 421st Medical Battalion command team, Lt. Col. Paul Graves and Command Sgt. Maj. Lee Ridling, were present to officially welcome the Soldiers home.
Reintegration began, in full, following a 4-day weekend.
Parish will lead the unit forward to new opportunities to push forward in Europe. Cope will concentrate on ensuring a flawless handoff of his Soldiers to a new command team this summer.
