FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. -- Late last year, "The Fort Huachuca Scout" ran an article in which Lt. Gen Rick Lynch, commander, Installation Management Command, stressed the importance of resiliency; the ability to realize personal growth and development in the face of challenging situations. Lynch supervises all Army installations through his command employing some 120,000 people.
"We hear it often nowadays, resiliency. From the highest levels of leadership on down, as we talk about how we are addressing the effects of nine years of conflict," wrote Lynch in a column that appeared in the Nov. 24 "Fort Huachuca Scout."
"There may be a danger that someone will hear the word once too often and tune it out as the latest buzz word. However, we need to keep talking about it until every member of the Army community; every Soldier, civilian and family member hears it and gets the message that we want them not only to survive, but to thrive," he wrote.
"Resiliency is defined in the dictionary as the ability to recover from misfortune or adjust easily to change. When we in the Army talk about resiliency, though, we are talking about more than the ability to bounce back from adversity. We are also talking about the ability to realize personal growth and development in the face of challenging situations. Resiliency is rooted in physical, mental and spiritual fitness. It is about finding the balance in one's life between work, family and self," he said.
In addition to its new resiliency programs targeting Soldiers and families, Fort Huachuca has incorporated civilians into resiliency programs.
Besides the President's Challenge, part of the Civilian Wellness Program which supports the Civilian Wellness Policy, Fort Huachuca Soldiers, civilians, and family members have been offered and encouraged to attend one of three, special two-day Resiliency Training classes at Murr Community Center. Two sessions have already ended, and a third is set for March 3-4 at Murr Community Center.
"This training is a practical application of positive psychology to your reality," said Tim Crosby, director, Soldier and Family Assistance Center.
"What that means is acknowledging that in every life there are adverse moments and challenges, and preparing to meet those challenges so that we not only survive, but thrive."
The intent according to Crosby, who helps spearhead the local resiliency training, is "lifestyle changes that will help attendees learn to react to tough moments within a positive way."
And so far, feedback for the brand new program has been positive.
"There are people who in a brief [two-day training] have seen the value in this, for example, we did some training with the Army Community Service [staff], and we have had some [positive] anecdotal feedback about [their] relationships with their spouses and their family members.
Capt. Shawn Fitzgerald, commander, 18th Military Police Detachment, echoes Crosby's statement.
"The feedback I have gotten has been overwhelmingly positive; a lot of Soldiers wish they had attended this type of training earlier in their careers," Fitzgerald said.
"This [training] is a piece of the comprehensive Soldier program and while we tend to focus a lot on the physical aspect, but we really don't focus on the mental, the interpersonal or the spiritual aspects of what makes a complete Soldier.
"As leaders and Soldiers, the skills taught in this training will help us both at home and at work."
For more information on eligibility, or to request to attend the training on a voluntary basis, contact Tim Crosby, 533.5334.
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