4th Cavalry Brigade builds stronger families with Oxygen

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Spence | Staff Sgt. John Webb, 1-409th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade, left, and his spouse Kelli Webb watch an educational video during a Strong Bonds seminar Sept. 19, 2019 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. The Strong Bonds training event, which was held Sept. 19-21, was focused on the Stronger Families Oxygen curriculum. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin Spence)  

NASHVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES

10.02.2019

Story by Staff Sgt. Kevin Spence 

First Army

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Service members of 4th Cavalry Multi-Functional Training Brigade and their families attended a Strong Families Oxygen resiliency seminar held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Sept. 19-21, in Nashville, Tenn.

Oxygen is a program that was created to empower couples. By taking proven strategies of other programs like “Laugh your way to a better marriage” and “5 love Languages” couples learn how to keep their relationship healthy and avoid pitfalls.

Sixteen couples spent the weekend performing maintenance on their relationship using the techniques that Oxygen teaches—differences, communication, devotion, transition, and finance.

4th Cav. Brigade Senior Religious Affairs Non-Commissioned Officer, Sgt 1st Class David Shaw, who served as an instructor during the Oxygen seminar, was able to provide an analogy that resonated with couples during the training.

“No one buys a new car and performs zero maintenance on it, but we often get married and we often do not take that same care of providing maintenance in our own marriage,” said Shaw. “Oxygen takes the best of what’s out there such as “Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage” and “5 Love Languages” and corrals them into one curriculum.”

The three-day long event allows couples a chance to focus on building on their relationship in a relaxing atmosphere away from work, children and financial stressors.

“No one is perfect and marriage takes work, so being able to attend strong bonds seminars provides couples different views and ideas of how to handle conflict or re-enforce those methods that they have figured out that works for them,” said Sgt. Jessica Harris, 1-409th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 4th Cav. Brigade. “This is our third strong bonds event and we learn something new each time, whether it’s a different technique for our communication, conflict resolution or we just learn something about each other.”

Harris is married to Tyler Rouse, who is prior service, so he knows the demands of serving in the military can be a strain on a relationship or a marriage.

“The military lifestyle can be a source of tension in a relationship or marriage with all the training, deployments and all the additional requirements the military demands,” said Rouse. “Having a spouse that served definitely helps along with similar programs like Master Resiliency Training or MRT."

"The Strong Bonds seminar provides couples with a greater understanding to build a better foundation and more enduring relationships," Rouse added.

Couples Strong Bonds events happen quarterly. Soldiers who are interested in participating in a Strong Bonds seminar, or who would like more information about the program, should contact their unit ministry team.

• Date Taken: 10.02.2019
• Date Posted: 10.03.2019 09:58
• Story ID: 345512
• Location: NASHVILLE, TN, US
• Hometown: FORT KNOX, KY, US
• Hometown: NASHVILLE, TN, US