Soldiers participate in relationship enrichment training

By Sgt. Marco GutierrezJune 18, 2014

Soldiers participate in relationship enrichment training
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Soldiers participate in relationship enrichment training
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Chaplain Maj. Sang Kim with the 380th Quarter Master Battalion out of Evansville, Ind., stops to ask soldiers from the 380th Quarter Master Battalion Headquarter Headquarter Detachment and the 383rd Quarter Master Company out of St. Charles, Mo.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers participate in relationship enrichment training
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Chaplain Maj. Sang Kim with the 380th Quarter Master Battalion out of Evansville, Ind. stands next to soldiers from the 380th Quarter Master Battalion Headquarter Headquarter Detachment and the 383rd Quarter Master Company out of St. Charles Mo.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Soldiers participate in relationship enrichment training
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FORT LEWIS, Wash. - The importance of growing personally as well as finding ways to relief stress is an important part of any well-balanced lifestyle. For service members it is no different. Especially for military reserve members that can experience stress while at annual training when they are away from home as well as stress at home. For Soldiers participating in the Quartermaster Liquid Logistic Exercise 2014 in Fort Lewis, Wash., relief of stress comes in the way of relationship enrichment training provided by Army Chaplain Maj. Sang Kim with the 380th Quarter Master Battalion out of Evansville, Ind.

Army Capt. Melisa Niles the administrator officer in charge for the 380th Quarter Master Battalion out of Evansville, Ind., explains that the training involved, watching a video that gave a fun aspect of males and females in relationships, utilized a workbook to assess ones-self and their partners to help build a stronger partnership.

Kim also explained that so many soldiers get married when they're not ready. They're young and rush into things. Often causing issues in a relationship leading a breakups and added stress. Kim added, "I want soldiers to have this training so they can get better understanding of what to expect during marriage, have better relationships, and build stronger ones as well."

The class training gave soldiers a chance to grow personally and better understand how they build relationships. Army Pfc. Chelsea Shaffer a heavy equipment operator specialist with the 383rd Quarter Master Company out of St. Charles, Mo., said, "What I took from the training, was how to understand another person in the relationship instead of how I just see things."

Army Pfc. Robin Linder a petroleum supply specialist with the 383rd Quarter Master Company out of St. Charles, Mo., said, "The relationship training gave a different insight of what we normally do, it truly help me understand how relationship are formed not only a romantic ones, but professional ones as well."

Soldiers who participated in the relationship training also got the chance to experience more that just the classroom. Soldiers also got a chance to explore some of the natural beauty that the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Kim said, "The fieldtrip is the second phase of the training, it gives the soldiers a chance to relax and be away from the field so they can think about what they learn in the classroom."

For many of the soldiers it was a once in a lifetime experience.

"I liked having the opportunity to do something, that I may never have a chance to do in my life," said Shaffer when asked about her experience of visiting Mount Rainier.

Niles said, "The field-trip experience was quite the moral booster, soldiers had a chance to build moral and experience a truly amazing experience.

Niles continued by saying, "Not only did we get a time to fellowship with each other and different units, it also gave us a good chance to experience part of the real world together, not just in the field setting."

The overall training was a success as soldiers learned to build better relationships while experiencing the incredible beauty that Mount Rainier had to offer.

When asked about what he enjoyed about the training Kim said, "It is a privilege and honor to serve God and soldiers." Kim added, "I have always enjoyed working with and talking to soldiers."

While others where simply glad to experience something, Niles explained that in her fourteen years of military service not once has she had the opportunity to experience something like Mount Rainier.

Niles said, "Mount Rainier was a one in a lifetime opportunity."

So soldiers who are participating in QLLEX 2014 in Fort Lewis are training not just in their military occupation, but training their spiritual self as well.

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