CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, Iraq " Whether organizing a patrol with Iraqi Security Forces or talking to subordinates about roles in a training exercise, good communication is key to success.
Soldiers from 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, focused on improving interpersonal communication skills during a class at Contingency Operating Base Warhorse, Iraq, June 28.
Having good interpersonal skills is very important for Soldiers; it helps them communicate more effectively with each other, superiors and subordinates, said Chaplain (Capt.) John Teitman, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd AAB.
During the class, Soldiers learned how to better tailor the type of communication they use depending on who they speak with. While certain individuals perform better by being praised, others do well knowing there will be incentives for a job well done, explained Teitman, a Dillsburg, Pa., native.
Learning about good communication helps leaders and subordinates alike realize how to interact with one another while working to accomplish their mission more effectively, he said.
“This gives leaders and Soldiers tools upon which to draw,” said Teitman.
Participants used the class as an opportunity to expand their repertoire of communication techniques.
“It was very enlightening,” said Spc. Ryan Halter, a Philadelphia native and an intelligence analyst for 2nd AAB.
Halter said the class talked a lot about being kind to one another and using forms of communication that are best suited to those you are speaking with.
Halter said he also felt the class was about more than just communication " it was also about improving himself professionally and personally.
As a Soldier, Family member or friend, people need to take into account what others have been through when communicating, said Halter.
“Nothing is going to get done without communication,” he continued.
Teitman said the class was the first in a series of six courses aimed at resiliency and personal development.
The next class is scheduled to cover how to better handle marital stress.
The classes are designed to help improve our Soldiers by giving them additional skills they can call upon in their military careers and in their civilian lives, explained Teitman.
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