Photo By Sgt. Richard Daniels Jr. | Capt. Justin Roberts, chaplain, 2nd battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne...... read more read more
Subscribe
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- It's a staggering statistic. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 43 percent of all first marriages end in divorce within 10 years.
Military marriages are complicated endeavors both at home and abroad. Soldiers and their spouses are exposed to stressors that civilian couples could never contemplate. Whereas once the Army considered the success of a Soldier's marriage to be personal business, it has now embraced the concept of the Army Family.
Soldiers of the 2nd battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division recently embarked on a mission to strengthen the bonds of military matrimony. The Soldiers and their spouses spent, Aug. 27 — 29, at a Strong Bonds Marriage Retreat at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.
These military duos are treated to a weekend of games, movies and even a luau, but the fun goes hand-in-hand with a commitment to strengthen the bonds of marriage.
"They get here in the afternoon on the first day and then they have a full day of fun training on the second," said Capt. Justin Roberts, No Slack chaplain. "We let them go home with some books and other materials, so that way it's ongoing training for them to keep on investing in their marriages," he said."
The Strongbond's watchword is communication.
"It is to let Soldiers and Families connect to other Soldiers and Families to basically have fun and build team cohesion," he said.
After two days of intensive training, with some fun to boot, once cold couples can expect their relationships to heat up.
"I feel like Strong Bonds has had a very positive effect on the couples," said Spc. Steven Howie, chaplain's assistant. Because of the Soldiers chaotic training schedule, they've been able to get the time they needed to really focus on their relationships," he said.
"When they go home they are too tired to really do anything," said Howie. "I have personally attended four Strong Bonds events in this brigade," he said.
During the session, the chaplain turned on a movie for the audience to watch. It wasn't long before people began to laugh, clap and having a good time while gaining a better understanding of their significant other.
"The video was funny. It was definitely comical, you could relate to a few things," said Melissa Michelle a No Slack spouse.
Spc. Andrew Michelle enjoyed the different perspective that Strong Bonds puts on marriage.
"I like the idea of the 'nothing box' in the male's brain and the circuitry of the female brain," he said in reference to the video. "He put that into perspective and it really makes it down to earth that this is really how it is."
Like any marriage, Soldiers and their spouses face challenges, but the ultimate test of a military marriage can be enduring a deployment.
"It's important to everyone, no matter what rank you are," said Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Fields, No Slack Command Sergeant Major. "The command team is truly interested in making sure that we've formed Strong Bonds before we deploy again," he said.
Fields stresses the importance of keeping Soldiers and their Families strong.
"The most important thing that we are going to get here is not only individual teams - the husband and wife, the Soldier and spouse, — we're starting to establish inner core friendships," he said.
For No Slack Soldiers, building relationships with their spouses isn't just good for the individual; it's good for the team.
"The more that Soldiers and their wives see the command team and their non-commissioned officers and officers in civilian clothes, sharing their life story and their issues and problems as a married couple is going to make a inner connection with everyone, thus making the team, the "No Slack" team, a lot stronger," said Fields.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 09.01.2009 13:53 |
| Story ID: | 38248 |
| Location: | NASHVILLE, US |
| Web Views: | 409 |
| Downloads: | 380 |
This work, Bastogne Bonds Strengthened Through Marriage Retreat, by SGT Richard Daniels Jr., identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT