2CR instills camaraderie before the winter holidays

Photo By 1st Lt. Connor Coombes | U.S. Army Lt. Col. Kevin Harris, the commander of the Regimental Support Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, leads a discussion on suicide awareness at the squadron headquarters in Rose Barracks, Germany, Dec. 10, 2019. The suicide awareness training involved a peer discussion which invited Soldiers to talk about their experiences with family, friends and coworkers who had attempted or committed suicide. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Connor Coombes)  

VILSECK, BY, GERMANY

12.18.2019

Story by 1st Lt. Connor Coombes 

2d Cavalry Regiment

The Regimental Support Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, recently participated in a “resiliency day” designed by the regiment to build esprit de corps among its Soldiers prior to holiday block leave.

Officially designated as the Regimental Resiliency Dragoon Day, R2D2, the event took place in Rose Barracks, Germany and consisted of five separate stations spread out over the course of a regular workday schedule. The regiment allocated each of its seven squadrons a separate day to participate, and on Dec. 10, 2019, RSS became the final squadron to partake in it.

The five stations covered physical fitness, productive thinking, suicide awareness, stress management and spiritual wellness. Four of the five stations involved training from subject matter experts in their respective fields.

Medics from the installation clinic instructed Soldiers at the physical fitness station, which included exercises designed to prepare for the Army’s new combat fitness test. Psychologists from the clinic taught the stress management seminar, while master resiliency trainers led Soldiers through a productive thinking class.

The regimental chaplain spoke to Soldiers during the spiritual resiliency station.

The suicide awareness training also involved discussion facilitated by the squadron’s commander, Lt. Col. Kevin Harris, and Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Jackson. The discussion afforded Soldiers the opportunity to discuss their experiences and proximity to suicides with their peers.

“Hearing other Soldiers tell their stories about suicide definitely brought me closer to my coworkers," said Sgt. Joel Ramirez, intelligence noncommissioned officer. "I was surprised to hear what some of them have gone through and how they’ve been able to cope with it”

The intent behind the resiliency day was to bring Soldiers together prior to their departure for the holidays.

“It’s about family," said Capt. Daniel Sutton, RSS operations officer. "Many of these Soldiers are a long way from any loved ones and don’t have a spouse or children to come home to every night, so it’s absolutely important that we can bring everyone together and let them know that they’re all valuable to this team.”

• Date Taken: 12.18.2019
• Date Posted: 12.18.2019 09:54
• Story ID: 356157
• Location: VILSECK, BY, DE