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FORT BLISS, Texas – Navigating an unfamiliar landscape, sorting out finances, completing lengthy checklists and integrating into a new unit are just a few of the daunting tasks Soldiers encounter when arriving to a new duty station.
It’s easy to see how new personnel could be overcome with stress and uncertainty which is why incoming Soldiers completed a two-day Master Resiliency Training course Aug. 10 at the Ready and Resilient Center here.
“I think this is a very important part of in-processing, especially for new Soldiers coming into the Army,” said Staff Sgt. Dashaun Henry, master resiliency trainer for incoming personnel at Fort Bliss. “It’s their first time away from home, and they might not know how to handle life’s chal-lenges being away from mom and dad, so what MRT does is it helps open your mind. It helps you cope with the stresses of everyday life as well as being in the Army. When you first come to a new duty station, you don’t know what to expect. With MRT, initial MRT and the seven skills we teach here, it helps you with the stresses that come with being new to a duty station and being new to that unit.”
Developed in 2009 as part of the Army Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program, MRT goes beyond physical strength and instills Soldiers with the skills and strength to face and overcome challenges.
“Everybody has events and thoughts that they feel like they can’t control, so here we teach them how to fight off counterproductive thoughts: how to bounce back and not break,” Henry said.
Throughout the course students learn how to become more assertive in their communication, how to use breathing techniques to remain calm and collected during stressful scenarios, and how to re-evaluate situations and take the time to seek out the positive. Students then practice these resiliency skills through group work, in-class demonstrations, and sharing real-life examples.
“I think it’s useful, and not only can it help you, but it can also help others who haven’t been through the training,” said 2nd Lt. Timothy Williams, incoming officer here. “You can teach them that in every negative event, there is a positive to come out of it.”
Soldiers can get involved in the MRT program by becoming a certified master resiliency trainer or resilience trainer assistant for their units. Soldiers should speak with their command to begin an MRT packet, said Henry. Courses are offered regularly and information can be found on the Ar-my Training Requirements and Resource System website: https://www.atrrs.army.mil/atrrscc/.
“I just hope that my class takes from this the ability to be hopeful, ‘hunt the good stuff,’ and to think positive about every situation,” Henry said.
| Date Taken: | 08.10.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2015 15:57 |
| Story ID: | 173773 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Easing adjustment with resiliency, by Lauren Harrah, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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