{"id":25333,"date":"2023-08-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-27T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=25333"},"modified":"2023-08-30T06:49:43","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T06:49:43","slug":"master-resilience-trainer-courses-strive-to-strengthen-army-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=25333","title":{"rendered":"Master Resilience Trainer courses strive to strengthen Army community"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Staff Sgt. Joshua Smith, right, assigned to the 22nd Space Company at Misawa Air Base, collaborates on a group assignment during a Master Resilience Trainer Level 1 course at Camp Zama, Japan, Aug. 24, 2023. The 10-day course, which is open to Soldiers, Army civilians and commander-approved family members, teaches students various resilience skills and includes sessions for students to practice instructing them.
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\n Kirill Grinchenko, a contractor who serves as an instructor, engages with students during a Master Resilience Trainer Level 1 course at Camp Zama, Japan, Aug. 24, 2023. The 10-day course, which is open to Soldiers, Army civilians and commander-approved family members, teaches students various resilience skills and includes sessions for students to practice instructing them.
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CAMP ZAMA, Japan \u2014 For Staff Sgt. Joshua Smith, one of the highlights from a recent Master Resilience Trainer course he attended was the opportunity to sharpen his communication skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommunication is a big one,\u201d he said. \u201cI think that\u2019s a root thing for Army units \u2014 you got to shoot, move and communicate. If you can\u2019t communicate, you\u2019re not going to be able to do the other two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith and 10 other students completed the MRT level 1 course Friday and can now instruct others on how to effectively overcome adversity.<\/p>\n

The 10-day course, which is open to Soldiers, Army civilians and commander-approved family members, teaches students various resilience skills and includes sessions for students to practice instructing them.<\/p>\n

Smith, assigned to the 22nd Space Company at Misawa Air Base, said the course provided him tools and a language that will help him properly convey those skills to his unit members.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur most important asset \u2026 is our people,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, in the same way I would keep a rifle well-maintained, I got to keep my Soldiers, my [noncommissioned officers] and my officers well-maintained. This is one of the ways to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Army Ready and Resilient Performance Center, or R2PC, in Japan offers the MRT course at Camp Zama and at Torii Station in Okinawa throughout the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt enables students, regardless of their work domain, to be better versions of themselves,\u201d said James Gallagher, a contractor who serves as the primary instructor for the MRT level 1 course.<\/p>\n

Gallagher said the train-the-trainer course targets six competencies: self-awareness, self-regulation, optimism, mental agility, character strengths and connection.<\/p>\n

Students learn the skills through in-depth lessons led by instructors and small group exercises that also have students instruct their group members. A closed-book exam with over 100 questions must also be passed to graduate.<\/p>\n

Upon graduation, Soldiers receive the additional skill identifier, 8R, and become certified unit MRTs.<\/p>\n

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\n Students in a Master Resilience Trainer Level 1 course work on a group assignment at Camp Zama, Japan, Aug. 24, 2023. The 10-day course, which is open to Soldiers, Army civilians and commander-approved family members, teaches students various resilience skills and includes sessions for students to practice instructing them.
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\n Sgt. Ernest Amoren, assigned to the 78th Signal Battalion, works on a group assignment during a Master Resilience Trainer Level 1 course at Camp Zama, Japan, Aug. 24, 2023. The 10-day course, which is open to Soldiers, Army civilians and commander-approved family members, teaches students various resilience skills and includes sessions for students to practice instructing them.
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Gallagher said prioritizing psychological education, like this course, is important as many jobs, performances and tasks in the Army have a mental aspect to them.<\/p>\n

The ability to bounce back from challenges and adversity can serve students well in both their work and personal relationships, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Army is a people-focused organization,\u201d Gallagher said. \u201cAnd being able to have those relationships be as strong as possible means the Soldiers are as strong as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

After students complete the MRT course, Gallagher said the skills they learn will have long-term benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t a \u2018learn it and leave it\u2019 course,\u201d he said. \u201cThese skills go with us. They allow us to think more critically when it comes to dealing with problems. They allow us to generate more optimism in situations where optimism may be tough to find.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill Hobson, a contractor who manages the R2PC in Japan, said resilience skills are even more necessary in overseas locations.<\/p>\n

Hobson, who has lived 20 years abroad in Japan, Germany and South Korea, said some people would rather isolate themselves in their homes instead of exploring a foreign country or doing something that betters themselves.<\/p>\n

Extended periods of isolation can potentially create negative habits that lead to alcohol-related incidents or mental health issues, he added.<\/p>\n

In addition to this training, the R2PC also teaches the Ask, Care, Escort\u2013Suicide Intervention Tier 2 course, or ACE-SI, to further educate students on how to intervene with those at risk for suicide.<\/p>\n

While Hobson understands it can be stressful for some to live far away from friends and family, he said the MRT course shares coping strategies that can lead to healthy habits.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very preventative in nature,\u201d he said of the center. \u201cIf we\u2019re being used and we\u2019re busy, that means the Soldiers are doing better.\u201d<\/p>\n

The upcoming courses provided by R2PC are as follows:<\/p>\n