Welcome Ansbach’s new Employee Assistance Program coordinator

 

By Gary Deasy, M. Ed., Employee Assistance Program Coordinator

Most of what keeps a community great are its resources, and moreover, it’s people. We all discover folks who can recommend where to go for the best restaurants, travel destinations, or even a spa. Others in our hometown excel at human resources, facility, or addressing information technology concerns. But knowing whom to turn to for assistance in times of mental or emotional need can be intimidating, especially when our available resources both inside and outside the gates are limited.

I am happy to say that I am newly arrived to help out in that regard. My name is Gary Deasy and I am the Employee Assistance Program coordinator, or EAPC. I have arrived in Ansbach by way of a 21-year active-duty career, which includes two tours in Germany. I have also been a government-service civilian for just shy of seven years, most recently hanging my hat at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. I am excited to be back in Germany after a 12-year gap, and I am also energized to continue supporting the military community.

The Army has been promoting and advocating the Ready and Resilient Campaign since 2013.

The strength of the Army is its people. That’s why the personal readiness and resilience of all Soldiers, Army civilians and Family members is critical to mission readiness. The Army provides a wide range of tailored, targeted training, tools and resources to help those who serve achieve and sustain their personal readiness, which supports building cohesive units and teams, and a Ready and Resilient Army. I can be part of supporting that worthy aim as the community’s EAPC.

So what is it that I do? Well, first off, the position title can be misleading in some ways. While I can, and do, assist in mediation to civilian employees for the resolution of adult living problems, I am also available to military and civilian Family members 18 and older. My primary focus is to provide confidential assessment, short-term counseling, and referral services. The fact that I am located under the direction of the Army Substance Abuse Program can be confusing to some. While substance use disorder problems are certainly within the realm of my responsibilities, I am tasked with maintaining a list of available community counseling and rehabilitation resources that address the full spectrum of possible adult living problems. So, think of me as your one-stop-shop for however life stressors are impacting you. I am happy to be here and look forward to helping to bring quality of life to you and the Ansbach hometown community.

To learn more about the USAG Ansbach Employee Assistance Program, visit www.ansbach.army.mil/EmployeePortal.html#EAP.

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