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GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — Four and a half months after Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, redeployed from Iraq, 25 Soldiers from the company took part in a Warrior Adventure Quest scuba diving trip Jan. 12 in a converted sauerkraut factory in Munich, Germany.
The Soldiers had a lesson in scuba equipment and safety, paired off into groups and took to the water for roughly two hours of recreational scuba diving. The facility contained six interconnected tanks with varying depths of up to 14 feet.
“I found Scuba diving inspiring and relaxing. This is something needed in our sometimes overwhelmed state,” said Staff Sgt. Sonia Britton, a supply sergeant with HHC, 18th CSSB and a native of Stamford, Conn. “I strongly suggest Soldiers participate in Warrior Adventure Quest, (especially) for individuals coming out of a combat zone.”
Spc. Francis Jackson, a communications specialist with HHC, 18th CSSB and a native of New York City, also said he enjoyed the experience and would definitely do it again.
“I certainly could have used such a program after two combat deployments left me in search of the fast-paced adrenaline rush that was routine on the battlefield,” said Grafenwöhr WAQ coordinator Geoff Farrell.
WAQ signifies the Army’s full commitment to helping Soldiers effectively transition from a combat to a home-station environment.
It does so by combining existing outdoor recreation activities with Battlemind, the Army’s psychological resiliency building program.
As part of the Battlemind blueprint, Soldiers hold group discussions after each outing, sharing their thoughts on the experience as well as being home.
This may help Soldiers work through emotional, physical or psychological problems and help them come away with an enhanced lifetime of leisure activities for a better quality of life.
