Balad first base to host resiliency training

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Phillip Butterfield
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) --  Deployments cause stress and stress, if not managed, can lead to consequences such as arguments, fights, mission failures and possibly suicide.

Joint Base Balad is the first base in Southwest Asia to test the Flash Forward Resiliency Training Program, which is one of many programs that will be introduced to help servicemembers combat stress. The program was developed to address individual readiness, unit readiness and effective leadership to improve mission preparedness, and ultimately mission response and performance during times of great stress.

"The intent of this training is to help servicemembers lower the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorders and thoughts of suicide and hopefully eliminate them in the future," said Chaplain (Maj.) Yaakov Bindell, from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing.

Before the training began, some servicemembers who attended had expectations of bettering themselves and becoming better leaders.

"I hope to develop, through this training, a better way to communicate with my Soldiers and their emotions," said Army Staff Sgt. Marissa Clark, from Headquarter Company, 36th Engineer.

The training program offers seven modules ranging from leadership techniques and identifying what type of leader a person may be, to putting all the training together to evaluate stressful combat situations.

The training was helpful in reaffirming all the tools that leaders have in their toolboxes, said Army Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Paul Dirksmeyer, from the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade.

"It gave me an opportunity to take them out, clean them up and sharpen them," he said. "The training was good because it was in a group atmosphere and we were able to get different viewpoints on scenarios."

Although the training package utilized group discussion, videos and visual presentations in a classroom setting, the overarching goal was to change the way people think.

"I hope that after this class, servicemembers will have changed mentally and become better leaders," Chaplain Bindell said. "The bottom line is being able to assess a fellow servicemember's present emotional state and assist them in not making bad choices, which may hurt them or someone else. It's about saving people."

Training how to stop people from getting into trouble, teaching them how to deal with a crisis and prepare for trauma, then return to their families emotionally, mentally and physically as good, if not better, is very important, Chaplain Bindell said.

"I hope this training expands through the (area of responsibility), so that over time there can be better awareness of resiliency to help servicemembers deal with what's going on in their lives right now," he said.