SMYRNA, Tenn. -- Nearly 100 mental health and substance abuse providers walked in the boots of soldiers Friday.

Video: National Guard Members Undergo Emotional Training

These professionals are training at the Tennessee National Guard Training Center in Smyrna.The program, called Operation Immersion, helps these providers better understand military culture and challenges and the impact that deployment and combat have on soldiers and their families.

"This provides an opportunity to create an atmosphere where mental health and substance abuse providers can be proactive and look at these issues rather than be reactive," said Sarah Lingo of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health.

Some of these mental health and substance abuse providers spent the nights in barracks, received a 5 a.m. wake-up call from a drill sergeant and took part in morning physical training.

According to officials with the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, soldiers often will not seek services because they think these professionals do not understand or know what they endure.