Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska organized a 5K run as part of Mental Health Awareness Month, aiming to encourage conversations about mental health and highlight on-base resources. Over 300 participants joined, a significant increase from the previous year. Mental health professionals emphasized the importance of movement and community for wellbeing, especially given the isolation challenges in Alaska.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Runners laced up last week at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for the base’s 5K Run for Mental Health Awareness. The event is designed to spark conversations about mental health and on-base resources—especially in Alaska , where isolation can hit service members hard.
“Movement is important. Movement and community are probably the two biggest things we have,” Capt. Matthew Kessler, a clinical psychologist with the U.S. Air Force 673rd Medical Group, told participants prior to the race.
“Just your unit, your neighbors, just make sure you’re talking to somebody,” Senior Airman Brennigan Bauer, a mental health technician with the U.S. Air Force, said. “Because especially during the winter months, it could definitely get lonely. ”“So, here at the Mental Health Clinic, our goal is to make sure everyone’s good, which is the whole mission, basically,” Senior Airman Lily Cuamatzi-Portillo, a mental health technician with the U.S. Air Force, said.
“It’s important to know that it’s okay to experience some low mood, some anxiety, it’s normal. ” The race, which took place May 28, marked the final event JBER put on in May for Mental Health Awareness Month. According to Cuamatzi-Portillo, around 300 people were signed up for the race, a significant jump from last year, when only around 25 people were registered.
“I’ve only been here for two months, and my goal was to just get out here and hopefully do something big,” Cuamatzi-Portillo, said. “I think we hit that mark today. ”“Everybody thinks mental health is oftentimes sitting in a therapy room behind a closed door talking about emotions and feelings and processing stuff for quite some time,” Kessler said.
“When I reflected on my own experiences, mental health is oftentimes just movement, right? The number of times I’ve started to run irritable, stressed out, not happy with the day or whatever. And then halfway through that run, I start to feel a little bit better. ” The run comes at a time when the Department of Defense continues to see rates of suicide decrease across branches.
In 2024, the DOD reported that “Mental health is important to discuss because it’s often overlooked or historically was often overlooked in terms of the health facets, especially military,” Bauer said.
“Mental health is incredibly important to our military members. ” Mental health, according to the U.S. Air Force, still carries a stigma. It’s their hope that events like this will help break it.
“We’re essentially here to show that it doesn’t need to be that way, that mental health is as important as physical health, that we need to focus on that,” Bauer said. Service members and dependents can find mental health resources at True North, chaplains and Military OneSource. Service members can also contact the following groups at the following outlets on JBER.
If you or a loved one needs someone to talk to, you can call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 orRoundabout coming to major Fairbanks intersection3 climbers die after falling while climbing Mt. McKinleySullivan vs. Sullivan: Senator accuses Peltola of ‘rigging’ election — but evidence of her involvement is unclear Sullivan vs. Sullivan: Senator accuses Peltola of ‘rigging’ election — but evidence of her involvement is unclearAnchorage’s Obed Vargas set to become first Alaskan to play in World Cup
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