KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Several Soldiers and spouses of the 1st Infantry Division traveled to a Holiday Inn in Kansas City, Missouri, to build family readiness at a couples seminar presented by a Saint Louis, Missouri native, Maj. Chris Weinrich, 1st Inf. Div. Artillery chaplain, March 2-4.
The couples retreat weekend provided complimentary meals, family care and lodging for 15 families. After dropping off their children in the provided day care, the Soldiers and their significant others made their way to Weinrich’s “Five Love Languages” seminar.
“I want to help build marriage relationships,” Weinrich said, “enhance Soldiers with an understanding of who they are, (as) men and women but also with their spouses and kids. These events provide couples and families readiness to plan for future missions.”
Weinrich started the seminar with a test in which he instructed everyone to answer honestly. The participant’s answer indicated their love language, crucial knowledge for the remainder of the seminar.
Love language profiles, a concept of marriage counselor and author Gary Chapman, explain how different individuals communicate as part of a romantic pairing and how knowing which of five “languages” one’s partner uses can improve the relationship, according to Chapman’s website.
Once the test was complete, many participants were surprised with their own results, as well as those of their spouses, which allowed for discussion among the couples.
“I learned a couple things about her, like her love language; it’s pretty cool to know that and how she thinks,” said Pvt. Evion Scott, DIVARTY, from Wasilla, Alaska, about bonding with his spouse at the event.
As the seminar progressed, Weinrich explained how communication is important in a relationship – to know how one’s partner communicates love is the first step to understanding each other, he said.
He also said that planning for future trainings and deployments can help with potential hurdles for the entire family.
Throughout the class, Weinrich showed many videos and a PowerPoint presentation and gave everyone their own copy of Chapman’s book “The 5 Love Languages.” He encouraged open conversation, which allowed attendees to be exposed to different ideas and the shared advice from older marriages to more newly established relationships.
“We did discuss how to help out on your marriage when your husband is deployed,” said Angie Lee, an Army spouse who herself is prior service. “The book has a couple chapters that I will revisit when the time comes.”
After completing the lessons of the day, couples were able to venture out and explore the sights of Kansas City.
“I’m really enjoying myself,” Lee said. “I’ve learned a couple things about him here in the Strong Bonds that I didn’t know before and it’ll help make our marriage better.”