Comprehensive Soldier Fitness is a program to develop and institute a holistic fitness program for Soldiers, families, and Army civilians in order to enhance performance and build resilience. A key component of that program is training Master Resiliency Trainers – senior noncommissioned officers and leaders who will be provided the skills and training to help build and grow resiliency among their fellow Soldiers.
The Army is conducting its first Master Resilience Training course for approximately 180 Soldiers this week at the University of Pennsylvania. The Soldiers will learn how to lead others, train resilience and teach life skills to others. At the end of the course these Soldiers will be certified Master Resilience Trainers.
In order to best demonstrate how this isn’t just another Army training program, and give you a glimpse from the perspective of the Soldiers experiencing it, we’ll be posting daily updates from the Soldiers themselves, giving some of their thoughts and perspectives. So, read on, learn a little, and drop us a note in the comments section with your thoughts or questions.
Name: Major Scott Stokoe, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth Kan.
Name: Major James Hayes, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth Kan.
Q1: What has your experience been like at the Master Resilience Trainer course so far?
• MAJ Stokoe: Master Resilience Training is off to a great start. Today we received an excellent overview of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program and Master Resiliency Training. Dr. Karen Reivich, author of the “Resilience Factor”, discussed resilience, its core competencies, and how it positively enhances performance. Throughout the day, instructors and staff were motivated and eager to answer questions and interact with students. The joint University of Pennsylvania and Comprehensive Soldier Fitness team are committed to helping us learn and understand the importance of resilience. The learning environment was collaborative, engaging, and consisted of a multidisciplinary mix of Soldiers, Airman, and Civilians.
• MAJ Hayes: Initial impressions are that Dr. Karen Reivich, other University of Pennsylvania educators, and military personnel involved with training are extremely knowledgeable on subject matter presented. Dr. Reivich, who taught most of the Day 1 material, provided an overview of Master Resiliency Training and discussed the competencies associated with resiliency. Overall, a good start to the course.
Q2: What have you taken away from the training thus far, and why do you feel Soldiers (and the Army) will benefit from this training?
• MAJ Stokoe: The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program is a well-designed, well-rounded, evidence-based program that focuses on five important dimensions to increase resilience and enhance performance. Increased resilience enables us to overcome our daily challenges and bounce back from diversity. Whether operating on the battlefield or training at home station, increased resilience is essential in today’s high tempo environment. Over the years, we have seen many improvements in Army systems and equipment. It is great to see the Army’s commitment to improving its most important system, the Soldier-Family team. Master Resiliency Training arms Soldiers and Families with valuable tools to overcome challenges, build confidence, improve performance, and strengthen the Soldier-Family team. I think the program will be a great force multiplier.
• MAJ Hayes: My initial impression is the Army is serious about incorporating resiliency training at all levels, but it is not readily apparent how this will be accomplished. This course is giving the primary trainers, the NCOs, the tools to assist the commander in developing a program. If done correctly, Soldiers could benefit greatly as the Army attempts a change in culture similar to ‘Risk Management’ in the late 90s.
Q3: How will you incorporate this training once you graduated from the Command and General Staff Officers Course and report to your next unit?
• MAJ Stokoe: Participating in this training opportunity will help me teach others about the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program and its importance. I plan to integrate resiliency training at all levels of my next unit, and, if needed, assist other local units with training.
• MAJ Hayes: I am headed to a unit returning from Iraq in the Reset phase of ARFORGEN. As an S3, it is my responsibility to advise the commander on ways to incorporate resiliency training especially during the Reset Phase.
Q4: Why do you think it is important for NCOs to participate in the Master Resilience Training?
• MAJ Stokoe: The Army’s primary trainer is the NCO. NCOs set the example and prepare Soldiers to be confident in tackling the challenges they will face. In today’s high tempo environment, we ask a lot of our NCOs. The benefits of attending Master Resilience Training are twofold for NCOs: 1) It increases their own resilience and performance and 2) It enables them to increase resilience in their Soldiers. Understanding the importance of resilience and instilling it Soldiers ensures Soldier well-being and strengthens the Army at all levels.
While the jury is out on the overall effectiveness of the MRT, I believe that the Military is off to a great start! First Team… Andre V. Milteer, M.A.
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As of mid-March, 2010, Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd.; VET-NET’s debriefings of MRT course graduates indicate:
– Favorable overall response to the program and a strong potential of positive effects for the individual Warrior;
– Too many “Examples” proffered by UP presenters were, although likely applicable to the lives of ‘civilian’ academics, bear little if any applicability to the lives of “Private Jones, 3rd Foxhole on the Left, B Company” and, consequently, should not be “taken to the field” by Trainers, however;
– Graduate NCOs, who constitute the program’s standard bearers, will “Green Up” their training presentations in the field, by inserting examples with which Warriors can actually relate, and;
– Although somewhat less than perfect, the Master Resiliency Training component of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program is a powerful tool that “…beats the hell out of continuing to pretend there is no problem.”
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