Guardsmen Learning ‘Train-the-Trainer’ Skills to Help Others Improve Resiliency

by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry, Public Affairs Office, Georgia Department of Defense

As part of National Guard Bureau’s (NGB) initiative to continue the enhancement of Soldier performance and readiness along with the individual’s ability to better deal with life’s issues – big and small –  the Georgia Army Guard continues to build upon its resource of Master Resiliency Trainers (MRTs). The organization has been doing this by increasing the number of Resilience Trainer Assistants (RTAs) throughout its major subordinate commands around the state.

“Life can throw anything and everything at us – anytime, anywhere. Even as stalwart as we may want to be as Soldiers, we sometimes come face-to-face with a situation or problem that can stretch to the limit our ability to cope,” said 1st Lt. Kevin S. Wilson, the Georgia Army Guard State Resiliency coordinator. “By helping each other find ways of dealing with those situations or problems – especially those involving tragedy like the death of a family member or friend – we each learn to not let things go from bad to worse.

“The idea is to help each other as human beings and as Soldiers to reach deep down within ourselves,” Wilson explained, “so that each person finds something he, or she, can do – some strength within themselves – to get past the problem and move forward.”

In coordination with NGB’s premier campaign, Wilson and his assistants travel the state, training the RTAs needed for putting the Georgia Army Guard plan for resilience, risk reduction and suicide prevention into place. Most recently, they taught a Resiliency Trainer Assistant Course in May and in June. Wilson says he expects the course to be conducted again around mid-September.

Those interested in attending the next Resilience Assistant Trainer Course should contact Wilson by calling (678) 569-5304 or by e-mailing him at kevin.wilson@us.army.mil.

Within the major subordinate commands, there are eight MRTs at Macon’s 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, one at the 78th Homeland Response Force on Clay, and one at the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade in Ellenwood. As far as resilience training assistants are concerned, the Army Guard is working toward having 24 RTAs at the 48th, 24 at the 78th, and 13 at the 560th. Another five RTAs are to be certified at Columbus’ 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, five at the 78th Aviation Troop Command on Clay, and two more each at the Joint Forces Headquarters and Recruiting and Retention.

“The focus of the course,” Wilson said, “is to give junior leaders [those who attend RTA training generally do so at the rank of E-5, but higher ranks to participate in the training] the capability of support the master resiliency trainer at the unit level in helping fellow Soldiers develop skills they can use to better handle life and family issues.”

“Overall,” he added, “the RTA helps the master trainer reinforce resilience skills among their fellow Guardsmen, from the squad and team level on up through the platoon and company level.

“Here, again,” Wilson continued, “the goal is to enhance Soldier performance through improved communication, leadership, and problem solving skills.

“We as citizens, and especially as warfighters, are not indifferent to the issues life and combat can throw at us,” he said. “When we understand how to use our personal strengths, to ‘hunt the good stuff’ within ourselves and our lives, we not only improve ourselves personally, but we also improve ourselves as Soldiers and our ability to be ready to serve the state and nation in times of need.”

Sergeant David Parker, who drills with Winder’s Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, and works full-time as a member of the Georgia Army Guard Honors and Funeral Detail, attended the May RTA course.

“Having gone through the training, it’s my opinion that more leaders and more units should take advantage of what Lt. Wilson, his staff and the course have to offer,” Parker said. “Keeping ourselves ready to answer when called upon to perform will keep us that much more focused on the challenges of our given mission – here at home and in combat – because we will have learned how to better focus on our personal successes and strengths and to use those to move beyond life’s problems.”