Resilience program improves performance

Photo By Sgt. Alexis Weise | Noncommissioned officers from the 56th Multifunctional Medical Battalion participate in an exercise, which helped them build trust and communication skills, the exercise required one member to be blindfolded while the other member led them around from one point to another picking up various objects. The calibration training was provided by the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness and Family Training Center, July 25-26, at Joint Base Lewis, McChord, Wash.  

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, UNITED STATES

07.26.2013

Story by Sgt. Alexis Weise 

5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Whether a unit is working toward increasing the average of their Army physical fitness test or leading a convoy, an individual’s ability to perform is a vital part of mission accomplishment.

The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness and Family Training Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., focuses on helping soldiers work on these skills to prepare them to face any situation optimizing their performance levels.

“The purpose of CSF2-Training Center is to teach performance enhancement and skills to soldiers to help them improve their performance,” said Kaitlyn Donohoe, master resilience trainer and performance expert. “With the resilience material it is more about how we handle adversity more effectively, how we handle our problems and thrive in the face of challenges.”

The classes comprise of six core competencies: mental skill foundations, building confidence, attention control, energy management, goal setting, and imagery.

CSF2-Training Center offers on a rotating basis a 40-hour leader development course, an eight-hour seminar for performance skills and a quarterly learning enhancement course.

Classes offered through the program vary depending on the unit’s goals are and the allotted time.

“After contacting the facility, a unit representative sits down with staff and discuss what they would like to get out of the training and together we come up with a basic training plan,” Donohoe said.

She added that units can choose to have these classes taught at any establishment on JBLM.

Recently, noncommissioned officers from the 56th Multifunctional Medical Battalion attended a two-day leader’s calibration training provided by the CSF2-Training Center. The noncommissioned officers learned self awareness skills, building unit cohesion, communicating more effectively and trusting each another.

The instructors also taught the noncommissioned officers how to use active constructive responding, effective praise and assertive communication.

One of the activities during the course, which helped build trust and communication involved noncommissioned officers being paired in teams of two, with one of the members blindfolded while the other member walked them around from one point to another picking up objects.

“[This] portion kept the class fun and upbeat while breaking up the monotony of watching slide shows,” said Sgt. Ethan Perz, health care specialist, 56th MMB and native of Glendale, Ariz.

Donohoe said that soldiers can use these skills for the Army and in their personal lives.

“We addressed obstacles that come with being a leader as well as good leadership tools that can be applied at work,” Perz said. “Knowing how to communicate effectively with your soldiers is how we win battles [here at home station] and on deployments.”

“These skills are most effective when they are automatic, when they are practiced,” Donohoe added. “With any performance there’s a mental component and if you can learn to regulate that mental component then you can learn to consistently perform at a higher level.”

For more information about the training or to coordinate a class, visit http://www.lewis-mcchord.army.mil/resiliency/csf2.html or call 253-968-7641

• Date Taken: 07.26.2013
• Date Posted: 08.05.2013 14:28
• Story ID: 111363
• Location: JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US
• Hometown: GLENDALE, AZ, US