Courtesy Photo | This slide shows some of the issues covered in the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program.... read more read more
By Capt. Antonia Greene
"It's thriving in the face of adversity — the ability to bounce back, the tennis ball as opposed to the egg," explained Col. Jeff Short, medical director for the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program directorate.
When speaking about the emerging holistic Soldier concept implemented by the Army, Short emphasized the importance of CSF as a leader's tool as he addressed a packed Timmermann auditorium filled with 72nd Field Artillery Brigade Soldiers and leaders, April 14.
CSF, as defined by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey, is a structured, long term assessment and development program to build the resilience and enhance the performance of every Soldier, Family member and DA civilian. Taking a proactive approach, using evidence-based training to strengthen individuals' bodies as well as their minds is the main focus of CSF.
"It's based on training and leadership — CSF is not a medical program," Short repeatedly told the audience.
Unlike other Army mental health assessment programs that are traditionally orchestrated by the medical branch, CSF is a whole-Soldier concept generated by the Army G-3/5/7. The Army G-3/5/7 has the Army General Staff responsibility for strategy formulation, overall force development, individual and unit training policy, and establishing requirements and priorities for the employment and sustenance of Army forces, among other things.
Casey had a hand in the development and institution of CSF. Short showed the Soldiers a photograph of Casey's 4-step outline that the general wrote out on a whiteboard illustrating the 4 pillars of the CSF program. Casey's sketch is the CSF foundation with a stipulation that the concept continues to be built upon.
Mandatory resilience training implemented Armywide from basic-level instruction in Army Basic Training to advanced resilience training at the War College level was at the top of Casey's list. Integrated deployment —cycle resilience training was also part of the initial CSF concept in Casey's whiteboard sketch.
"CSF will become a normal training event in a Soldiers growth from the day they enter military service; comparable to the training we receive on Subversion and Espionage Directed Against the Army, CSF is part of Army growth that we refine each year," remarked Master Sgt. Milton Townsend, 72nd FA Bde. Master Resilience Trainer.
Training unit-level Master Resilience Trainers, similar to the Army's Master Fitness Trainer program, was listed second. It is a key component to training CSF. Stand-out non-commissioned officers attend a 10-day University of Pennsylvania train-the-trainer resilience seminar, acquiring the skills and concepts inherent to training CSF at the unit level.
"This type of training is going to take getting used to for some, but I feel it is breaking through old schools of thought and addressing real concerns of today's Soldiers," Townsend remarked.
Casey's third bullet incorporated the global assessment tool or the GAT, an online survey-based self assessment tool. Many Soldiers and Family members have already taken the GAT online. It takes approximately 15 minutes and the series of questions are directed towards five of the seven World Health Organization dimensions of strength — physical, emotional, social, family and spiritual.
Individuals' scores in the five dimensions of strength are kept confidential. Not reporting Soldiers' results to command or leadership aims to encourage sincere answers and promote personal growth at the user level.
The physical aspect involves performing and excelling in physical activities that require aerobic fitness, endurance, strength, healthy body composition and flexibility derived through exercise, nutrition and training. Soldiers' physical fitness has always been a focus of the Army; however, in dealing with the holistic view of an individual it is not the only dimension that determines one's wellness.
An individual's emotional health reflects how well one approaches life's challenges in a positive, optimistic way by demonstrating self-control, stamina and good character with choices and actions.
The social facet indicates one's success at developing and maintaining trusted, valued relationships and friendships that are personally fulfilling and foster good communication including a comfortable exchange of ideas, views, and experiences.
The family domain delves into being part of a family unit that is safe, supportive and loving, and provides the resources needed for all members to live in a healthy and secure environment.
An individual's spiritual health reveals a set of beliefs, principles or values that sustain a person beyond family, institutional, and societal sources of strength.
Although the CSF program is a relatively new concept in the Army and still undergoing implementation, the 5 domains the program is built upon have long been core areas of individual holistic health in mainstream society. Exploring and strengthening these character dimensions have proved successful in fortifying fortune 500 companies personnel as well as enlightening university students across the globe.
The last of Casey's remarks outlined the online CSF modules. At the present time the module library is still in the developmental stages, there are a few classes to pick from on www.army.mil/csf with many more to follow in the near future. The idea behind the modules is for Soldiers to voluntarily choose to improve a dimension that he or she scored lower on in the GAT. The training developed to performance levels gives Soldiers, family members and DA civilians the opportunity for self-development as opposed to seeking outside assistance first.
Training CSF is not a single event, explained Short. It is a continuous long-term self-development tool. CSF is not a medical screening means to determine psychological dysfunction or something the Army does after a Soldier demonstrates a negative behavior. It is a proactive approach to training resilience.
"CSF training is a tool against one of the biggest adversaries of military life — stress," said Townsend. And the training is progressive. It is designed to help strengthen individuals' self-awareness, self-regulation and critical thinking over time, Townsend added.
Teaching individuals that challenges are temporary and are directly linked to one's thoughts and that those thoughts can be redirected by one's own effort is a basic concept that can make a world of difference, Short explained.
Strengthening problem-solving skills to overcome challenges, to mature and put experiences into perspective is only part of the CSF program. Developing an optimistic outlook or hunting for what is good, is another core competency CSF encompasses. Mental agility or thinking flexibly and learning how to better employ one's strength of character are other mainstays of the program. The training aims to help individuals build better relationships and sharpen one's communication skills, better preparing and sustaining individuals for everyday stressors.
"Stressors are rough, but most of us improve," said Short. "No one talks about the qualities gained from overcoming adversity, or how much of a better leader one becomes."
"Whether it's one deployment or four, those who fight, face an elevated risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide and a host of other disruptions to their lives," added Townsend.
That's why focusing on post-adversity growth rather than post-traumatic stress is crucial to the CSF concept. Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum, a former prisoner-of-war from the first Gulf War is the director of CSF. She suggested treatment is not enough and the Army needs to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to the overall wellness of its Soldiers, Families and DA Civilians. She recommended focusing on the other domains of Soldier fitness besides physical fitness to enhance Soldiers and better sustain the force.
"Enhancing individual performance is the endstate," emphasized Command Sgt. Major James Herbert, 72nd Field Artillery Brigade command sergeant major at the conclusion of the brief. He spoke confidently and without a microphone to his gathering of Soldiers in the large auditorium. CSF is an integral part of Soldiering, it's not a separate training event, he said. Herbert recommended Soldiers get their families involved and take the GAT and learn about the new program.
As the Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." CSF is that step, assured Townsend.
"The training is proven and a step in the right direction," he said. "The Army has come to an understanding that enemy fire isn't the only occupational hazard of military service. I'm learning as a resilience trainer to help servicemembers-Soldiers focus on helping maintain the psychological as well as physical health of one's action with emphasis on positive thinking, rather than on treating those who have already been tripped up or knocked down in negative thinking."
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2010 15:16 |
| Story ID: | 48253 |
| Location: | FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 1,076 |
| Downloads: | 586 |
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