Being strong is more than being physically fit. It is also about being mentally and emotionally fit. Staff Sergeant Justin Dansby is a prime example of someone who has undergone adversity and has found the resilience to rise above it. Watch this Hometown Heroes segment to hear of his inspirational journey!
More than 30 years of research and development went into creating the Comprehensive Soldier Family and Fitness program (CSF2). It is part of the US Army’s Ready and Resilient Campaign, started in 2013. CSF2 was developed from the collaboration between the US Army and the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Program. This initiative involves three components that help bring tools to the hands of soldiers, their families, and army civilians. CSF2 consists of an online component that includes the GAT (global assessment tool), which assesses emotional, social, family, spiritual, and physical, health and strength. The second component is a training component which includes the Master Resilience Trainer course (MRT), and finally the research and evaluation component. These courses are available at institutions Army wide.
Staff Sergeant Justin Dansby is a MRT Instructor. The MRT is a 10 day training program that teaches resiliency skills and follows a “train the trainer” mentality to foster teaching skills. The first 8 days are considered the “preparation component” as it focuses on building the following skills:
1. Fostering Resilience
2. Building Mental Toughness
3. Identifying Character Strengths
4. Strengthening Relationships
On the 9th day of the training, the participants will learn how to apply those skills in their military careers, including pre and post deployment. And finally, on the 10th day, the focus is on goal setting, confidence building, and attention control.
The MRT program is about self-awareness, self-regulation, optimism, mental agility, strength of character, and connection. Upon graduating the course, each participant is then considered a Master Resilience Trainer and is authorized to train others in MRT.
Programs, like the CSF2 and the MRT, show that the US military is acknowledging mental illness as a real threat to the wellbeing of soldiers and their families. It is something to be treated and prevented. Good mental health promotes good military performance. The US Army is dedicated to having mental fitness on par with physical fitness as CSF2 continues to move forward with new programs and services.
If you would like to view some MRT Resilience and Performance skills check out this Skills Sheet!
Current tab of total trained MRT’s: 37,516
