BDF Aims to Improve Mental Health of the Soldiers

 BDF Soldiers at Price Barracks in Ladyville will now have better access to mental health facilities on the compound. Within the past year, soldiers have been battling with depressive episodes, stress, anxiety, and some have even died by suicide. But, the BDF is looking to improve the services that are readily available on the compound. Brigadier General Azariel Loria, says that they have established a wellness center for members of the force.  

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria, Commander, Belize Defence Force: “Had two suicides a female and a male, unfortunate cases. Since then but prior to that we had very minimal policies in place to deal with situations like that of PTSD, stress and the like. At the time we only had a counselor and she was dealing with a gamut of experiences from the soldiers and we quickly realized that that was not good enough so we have put measures in place, we have put in more directives. We have established a force wellness center that deals with these specifically with the mental aspect of the soldier. Time and time again we do our physicals, we ensure that physical assessment is a must but we tend to forget the mental and the spiritual values that we may lack and hence the reason we have devised this building that is there now it is commanded by Major Aspinal and she is trying to get in more and more professional people on board to deal with the cases but it’s a work in progress.”