Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas -- 301st Fighter Wing Airmen completed a Resilience Training Assistant (RTA) course here Sept. 6 - 9.
The course gave Reserve Citizen Airmen the tools to aid Master Resilience Trainers (MRTs) in conducting training, assisting commanders in executing the Resilience Program, and assisting Airmen in becoming more resilient in their personal and professional life.
“It’s not just the skills training; we are encouraged to connect with our Airmen and apply what we’ve learned to help them develop these resiliency skills,” said Senior Master Sgt. Carrie Gee, 301 FW Maintenance Group first sergeant. “From this class, we learned resiliency skills and how to use them to help others.”
One of the skills the instructor focused on was gratitude. Each morning, the instructors asked the Airmen to make a gratitude list; Airmen listed up to three things that they were grateful for and how others may have contributed.
“Gratitude promotes building positive emotions,” said Mary Arnold, 301 FW Director of Psychological Health. “Developing a regular gratitude practice, whether it's daily, weekly, or monthly, helps you cope with daily stressors.
Sharing your gratitude promotes positive social relationships.”
Another skill the instructor focused on was mindfulness. Jimm Harper, 301 FW violence prevention integrator, guided students through several exercises to help practice the skill.
“Pause, close your eyes, and take three deep breaths. Observe your thoughts and feelings, without judging them,” said Harper. “Ask, what is important to you right now? Let your heart rate drop. Once you feel calmer, take purposeful action.”
Harper emphasized how mindfulness encourages people to focus on the present and to prioritize tasks.
“Practicing mindfulness when you have trouble focusing or are feeling stressed helps you refocus and stay calm,” said Harper. “Finding a formal mindfulness practice helps you turn off the autopilot of mindlessly going through your checklists. Try various practices to find out what fits you the best.”
Students warped up the class by teaching-back the course material. This re-enforces what the students learned and allows the instructors to critique their presentation. After students' presentations, Airmen were certified to teach resilience skills within their workplaces.
“I attended this class because I wanted to be of service to my squadron as a facilitator, '' said Senior Airman Maleya Neall, 301 FW Communications Squadron radio frequency technician. “This course helps us ensure that our airmen are fit to achieve our mission to train and deploy combat-ready airmen. I encourage everyone to attend a resiliency training course.”