Major Scott Stokoe, student at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, TX, provides an end of day wrap-up of the MRT taking place this week as part of the U.S. Army’s new Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program.
MRT training continues to be interesting and engaging. It is difficult to sum up the last two days of MRT training; however, I think the phrase “learning simple tools to overcome complex things” comes the closest to defining the last two days here in Philadelphia. Training has been a mix of large and small group sessions. Large group sessions focused on introducing resiliency skills and the small group sessions focused on the practical application of those skills. The small group setting has been a combination of self exploration and group discussion, both of which have significantly illustrated and reinforced the importance of resiliency. Training has been fast paced, comprehensive, and has targeted the following skills: 1) Examining thoughts and their consequences, 2) Identifying counterproductive thinking patterns, 3) Regulating emotion and energy levels, 4) Problem solving, 5) Putting things into perspective, and 6) Real-time resilience.
At first glance, these skills looked self explanatory. A review and direct application of these skills to my own life experiences; however, proved much different. It was very tough to analyze my deeply rooted core beliefs and thinking patterns, both of which have taken years to develop. The small group exercises introduced new perspectives that forced me (us) to step outside my (our) comfort zone and test new skills. This was very challenging for a lot of us, as it is difficult to permanently change old behaviors. The new skills were met with mixed reviews among my small group, the majority of which were all favorable. After completing the exercises, it was easy to see the benefits of implementing these new resiliency skills into our daily regimens.
Thinking beyond the training here in Philadelphia… I think there are three important keys necessary for successful implementation of resiliency training throughout the Army. The first is a personal commitment to implementing resiliency in one’s life, the second is confidence in exercising one’s resiliency skills, and the third is patience in teaching and developing resiliency in others. Resiliency will not be a natural fit for some and that is okay. However, it is important that Leaders at all levels fully understand the benefits of resiliency and foster an environment where the skills can be practiced and exercised.
