Becoming truly resilient

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Benroth
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  During 2010, Moody was chosen as the test base for a new Air Force program used to create stronger airmen. This resiliency program helps individuals focus on their strengths which in turn, helps them deal with stressors they may face in everyday life.

The program was met with great results and was recently put into practice by Air Combat Command at all ACC bases.

"This finalized program was sent down by ACC in January and we are slowly expanding it from the first-term Airman's center to the rest of the base," said Patricia Wittenborn, 23rd Force Support Squadron community readiness specialist and one of the 23rd Wing's master resiliency trainers. "In order to train these Airmen, members are chosen from groups across a base to become master resiliency trainers (MRT)."

The members go through a two-week course to become an MRT during which they learn how to teach an individual on how they can become more resilient. Once this course is completed, the member can go back to their unit and teach other people about resiliency.

"We have five other trainers on base, but with the operations tempo and deployments, the process to ensure everyone receives this training is long," said Mrs. Wittenborn. "Because of that lengthiness, we are mainly focusing on the FTAC classes right now, and as we progress we would like to move on to spouses and teenagers who also have to deal with common stressors."

With the massive amount of people needing the training, the Air Force has added an extra dimension to the program that the Army does not have. This is the presence of master resiliency trainer assistants.

These individuals are not fully trained MRTs but with the training they receive, they can help the trainers train and educate Airmen that are straight out of technical school and attending FTAC.
During FTAC, the Airmen receive a daylong briefing on resiliency to learn about the six core competencies.

The Airmen are also separated into groups and are given scenarios where their reactions are tested and where they are instructed on what they can accomplish by being more resilient.

This is where the MRT assistants are put to the test as the MRTs observe how they interact with the crowd and decide if these members are ready for the actual two-week course to become a full MRT.

Mrs. Wittenborn added that individuals must meet certain requirements to become an MRT, one of which is holding the rank of staff sergeant or above.

But why become an MRT Assistant? For Mickey Lane, 23rd FSS community readiness specialist and MRTA, the real question is "Why not?"

"I am retired Air Force and have been deployed and seen combat," he said. "During that time, service members didn't have these programs to help prepare them for what they could see."
"Seeing what combat can do to a person and understanding what they are going through really helped me understand why programs like this are needed," Mr. Lane added.

"To truly become resilient, you have to practice at it," she said. "Like in anything else, your skill will improve over time and this will lead you to become a stronger and better person."