Soldiers Learn Resiliency Skills to Help Fellow Troops

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The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Logo. Courtesy of the US Army.

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. (08/03/2012)(readMedia)-- Nearly 100 Soldiers and Contractors of the New York Army National Guard will receive training this week here to certify as Resilience Training Assistants in their units. Resilience Training is a component of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program, which was established by the Army in 2008 to increase resilience and enhance performance in Soldiers, Family members, and DA Civilians.

WHAT: Training and certification of Resilience Training Assistants

WHO: Nearly 100 Soldiers, Family Assistance Specialists, Family Readiness Support Assistants, and instructors for Army Resilience Training

WHERE: Building 500 Auditorium, Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor,NY

WHEN: 1:30 pm, Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Media Opportunities

News interviews with instructors, Soldiers, and contractors about the significance of resilience training and the potential impact on the force. Visuals include classroom lectures and small-group break-outs. For access to the Camp Smith facility, news media must contact 1st Lt. Karen G. Marotz, 518-380-0365, not later than noon on Aug. 7.

BACKGROUND

The New York Army National Guard's 106th Regional Training Institute is the training foundation for providing instruction and certification to Soldiers in a wide range of Army courses. This summer and fall, the 106th RTI at Camp Smith expects to certify more than 140 Soldiers as Resilience Training Assistants. These Soldiers will go on, after completion of their training, to assist Master Resilience Trainers across the New York Army National Guard to help develop balanced, healthy, self-confident Soldiers, Family members and Army Civilians whose resilience and total fitness enables them to excel in an era of high operational tempo and persistent conflict.

Resilience Training

Resilience Training offers strength-based, positive psychology tools to aid Soldiers, leaders and Families in their ability to grow and thrive in the face of challenges and bounce back from adversity.

Army National Guard training and deployments add stressors to Citizen Soldiers unlike any time in recent history. Resilience Training and information is targeted to all phases of the Soldier deployment cycle, Soldier life cycle and Soldier support system.

The training approach is two-fold, including institutional training and unit level training. Institutional (Life-Cycle) Resilience Training occurs throughout the Soldiers career from basic training to Professional Development Courses. Soldiers and leaders are trained in the principles and skills that enhance Soldier and organizational resilience and reduce the barriers to seeking behavioral health care. Unit level resiliency training is conducted at the squad/platoon level. The Commander and the Unit Master Resilience Trainer (MRT) select appropriate modules to deliver based on the current needs of the unit. This gives the Command the flexibility to hone in areas of concern specific to that unit. Both approaches focus on producing a soldier that is able to cope with life's challenges, bounce back and become more effective.