CSF2 graduates its newest Master Resilence Trainers

Photo By Staff Sgt. Kenneth Reed | A Soldiers receives their certificate after completing the Master Resilience Trainer Course, May 13, 2016, in Vilseck, Germany. The MRT course is a Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) program, developed by the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Department, was designed to increase the physical and psychological health, resilience and enhance the performance of Soldiers, their families and Army civilians.  

GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, GERMANY

05.13.2016

Story by Sgt. KENNETH REED 

7th Army Training Command

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- More than 50 students were certified as Master Resilience Trainers (MRTs), May 13, 2016, on Vilseck, Germany.

The Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2) program, developed by the University of Pennsylvania's Positive Psychology Department, was designed to increase the physical and psychological health, resilience and enhance the performance of Soldiers, their families and DA civilians.

"MRT is all about teaching people how their brains work, how they think without being aware of it, and how that thinking impacts everything they do," said Tiz Arnold, Master Resilience Trainer performance expert. "This gives them greater control so they get better consequences."

During this 10-day, 80-hour course, the new MRTs learned skills and techniques that focus on topics such as stopping counterproductive thinking, goal setting and building connections with others to name a few.

They also practiced teaching and applying these skills and techniques as they will be required to do in the future.

This was not the typical "death by Powerpoint" course as the instructors used their own personal stories to add a unique element to the learning material. Students were also encouraged to participate by implementing some of their experiences into classroom scenarios.

Arnold explained, "Just like teaching anything else, the new MRTs should be technically and tactically proficient. They need to know this stuff in and out as much as they can and they need to practice the skills before they teach them. They also need to bring their own passion to teaching it to others because MRTs cannot affect others without being passionate themselves."

"This training was great. I wonder how much more effective I would have been if I had this training and these skills earlier in my career," said Master Sgt. Brandon Short, 21st Training Support Command.

Now, the newly trained MRTs will help coordinate periodic mandatory training for Soldiers and DA civilians at their units.

• Date Taken: 05.13.2016
• Date Posted: 05.17.2016 04:40
• Story ID: 198314
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BAYERN, DE