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Between multiple deployments, intense training schedules and family life, Soldiers today can find themselves in many different stressful situations.
In order to help Soldiers deal with these stresses, the Army has developed the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program and has trained master resilience trainers to teach it to them.
“We’ve been at war for a few years now, and statistics say that when we have a long war like we have right now, drunk driving goes up, suicides go up and domestic violence goes up,” said Sgt. 1st Class Delvico Graham, an MRT for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 21st Theater Sustainment Command.
“With the tools that we are giving these Soldiers, we can help alleviate some of that. It’s not going to stop it completely, but it’s going to help a whole lot. I think it will make everyone in the military better.”
MRTs provide resilience training to units to show Soldiers resources and teach coping strategies. These resources and strategies can help them deal with stresses and volatile situations not only at work, but also in their everyday lives. Because of this, MRTs have become an extra tool for commanders to use in order to help Soldiers build their resilience.
“MRTs bring expertise, they bring knowledge and they bring an understanding of the subject,” said Capt. Terrance Kratz, the commander of HHC, 21st TSC.
During the class, Soldiers learn to identify reoccurring harmful thought processes that can affect how they relate to family and peers, how to concentrate on the good things that happen, and how to communicate effectively.
“I want them to understand that there is more than one way to solve a problem,” Sergeant Graham said. “We are giving them tools to put in their pockets to use that can keep the situation from getting out of hand — that can help them connect better and communicate better with their peers as well as their family members.”
Some Soldiers who recently attended the training were seeing results before they even finished the class.
“Personally, it has helped me to better communicate with my family,” said Pfc. Jorge Hernandez, a mechanic with HHC, 21st TSC, who completed the class on Oct. 29. “I used to have problems with communication, and now I have a better understanding on how to communicate and how the way I communicate affects others and affects me.”
The class is open to family members and Soldiers of all ranks.
“I love being around the Soldiers. I love doing stuff with the Soldiers, but just because I’m a company commander or leader doesn’t mean that I don’t have issues too,” said Captain Kratz, who completed the class Oct. 29. “I think everyone can take something out of this. Especially when leading Soldiers and taking care of Soldiers, you need to know the underlying factors that they talk about. That is a leadership responsibility.”
For information on how to receive the CSF resilience training from the MRTs, contact Sgt. 1st Class Fannie Acosta, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the MRTs in the 21st Special Troops Battalion, 21st TSC, at 484-8972 or fannie.acosta@eur.army.mil.
