MONROVIA, Liberia (Dec. 15, 2014) -- Walking through the doors to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia, one of the first things that can be noticed is the silence. Soldiers deployed and stationed at the Barclay Training Center here, in support of Joint Forces Command - United Assistance, marveled at how quiet, clean and calm it was inside the embassy.
At the Barclay Training Center, known locally as the BTC, Soldiers are used to the constant roar and hum of the countless generators installed around the post.
Capt. Mike Jones, native of Wildwood, Florida, chaplain for the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), JFC-UA, led 25 Soldiers into a conference room and began the weekly Master Resiliency Training, or MRT, class, Friday.
Each Friday or Saturday, Soldiers from various units within the BTC are selected by their respective leaders to attend the MRT class that doubles as a recreation day - a reward for their hard work and dedication.
"Can we just take a minute to listen to how quiet it is in here?" asked Jones.
"There aren't any generators. The floors are carpeted. It isn't crowded and, of course, you get a chance to spend some time away from the BTC," he said with a smile.
The focus of the day is the resiliency training, but as an added reward, Soldiers are given a few hours after the class to have some fun and utilize U.S. Embassy facilities, such as basketball courts, a recreation room, a gym and even a pool. Soldiers are given the time to relax and are asked to simply reflect on some of the training they have learned.
Army MRT is a part of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program and is divided up into seven training modules that comprise the "pyramid" of resilience. MRT teaches social and psychological skills to Soldiers to help them combat suicide, abuse and other possibly destructive decisions that Soldiers may encounter during their time in service and especially while deployed.
Sgt. 1st Class Jermaine Carter, Company D, 82nd Civil Affairs, out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, hoped Soldiers would take away some of the techniques and teachings from the MRT classes.
"We are working on resiliency training each week, where I am going to teach Soldiers how to hunt the good stuff, and bounce back from tough situations," Carter said.
Carter and Jones said they both hope the MRT classes give Soldiers the tools they need to think on a more optimistic and positive scale.
"While deployed, Soldiers often come upon or create a negative bias when they are in theater," said Carter. "It's natural, with all of the stress and being away from your family. But what we hope to teach them is self-regulation -- how to avoid or deal with those hot button issues. We all come from different cultures and backgrounds, and sometimes Soldiers find themselves dealing with adverse situations."
Soldiers deployed to Liberia are there as part of Joint Forces Command-United Assistance, in support of the U.S. Agency for International Development's mission and intent, to help the government of Liberia contain the Ebola virus while also synchronizing the establishment of Ebola treatment units across Liberia.
Carter understands the Soldiers' efforts and hard work to successfully complete their collective mission in Liberia.
"It's great; Soldiers are here doing their jobs," he said. "They volunteered to help their country and now, with the MRT classes, it is an opportunity to talk with Soldiers and help each individual. I am honored to do this for them."
Spc. Jeremy Shepard, radio operator for Signal Company, 101st Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, was one of the Soldiers chosen to attend. He said that he learned a lot from the MRT class, and was ready to try and apply some of the techniques on his daily life back at the BTC.
"It was good," said Shepard, a native of Reading, Pennsylvania. "It got me thinking, and I can look at the people I work with differently now. I want to use the training to help with daily life where instead of feeding the small conflicts that some of the guys have, we can start to clear out the negativity and get back to just working together."
Related Links:
Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness
U.S. Army news, information about Army's response to Ebola threat
<b>Army.mil: Humanitarian Relief -- Medical</b>
STAND-TO!: Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Master Resilience Trainers
STAND-TO!: Ebola epidemic response efforts
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