2014 Master Resiliency Training by Cary McEntee

1AS OF 25 MAY 2010 DAMO-CSF 1AS OF 25 MAY 2010 DAMO-CSF

Post-Deployment Resilience Training

for Soldiers (Reintegration)

CARY MCENTEE

1AS OF 25 MAY 2010 DAMO-CSF


ResiliencyResiliency is the ability to overcome challenges of all kinds–trauma, tragedy, personal crises, plain 'ole' life problems–and bounce back . Using the obstacle or challenge for opportunity!..


BLUF

You, as deployment veterans, have the learned skills to overcome the obstacles of reintegration and life!..


Takeaways• Skills and experiences to building

resiliency• Reestablishing relationships• Identifying soldiers struggling with

reintegration


Optimism Hunt the good stuff Practice humor

– The dream vs. the reality

Optimism and Humor


You have skills that helped you throughout the deployment

These same skills will help you to transition home

However, adapting these skills for home can be challenging

Welcome Home


After returning home, Soldiers are usually happy to be back home but they may feel edgy and pissed off…

Combat Veteran’s Paradox


What combat skills did you use during the deployment that helped you be resilient?

Deployment Skills


Cohesion: My buddies and I are there for each other; I built relationships that will last a lifetime.

Sharing Experiences: I can talk to my battle buddies because they know what it was like.

Discipline: I can be relied on to give and take orders.

Being Responsible: I take personal responsibility for failures and credit successes to the team.

Deployment Skills


Accountability: I maintain control to make sure things are done correctly.

Targeted Aggression: Focused aggression keeps me alert so I could handle danger

Tactical Awareness: I am alert to dangers in my environment

Emotional Control: I am in control of my emotions

Deployment Skills


Cohesion (Teamwork) Sharing Experiences Discipline Being Responsible Accountability Targeted Aggression Tactical Awareness Emotional Control

Deployment Skills


Strength: Cohesion My buddies and I are there for each other;

I built relationships that will last a lifetime

Re-establishing relationships back home takes time

During the Deployment Back Home

Strength


Strength: Sharing Experiences I can talk to my Battle-Buddies because

they know what the deployment was like

Friends and Family can support you better if they know something about what you’ve been through


Strength


Strength: Discipline I can be relied upon to give (& take) orders

and complete a task

Family and friends make decisions together


Strength


Strength: Being Responsible I take personal responsibility for failures

and credit successes to the team

Recognize that when bad things happen, there are many contributing factors


Strength


Strength: Accountability I maintain control to ensure things are

done correctly

Accepting that others do things differently and I can’t control what they do


Strength


Strength: Tactical Awareness I am alert to dangers in the environment

The level of threat is different at home; it takes time to learn to relax


Strength


Strength: Targeted Aggression Focused aggression kept me pumped up

and alert so I could handle danger

Anger is normal after deployment and I know how to keep it in check


Strength


Strength: Emotional Control I am in control of my emotions

Showing a range of appropriate emotions lets others know you care


Strength


What other personal strengths and skills do you have to help you transition home?

Identify Strengths in Self


Watch out for the iceberg of always needing to be in control

Apologize when needed Use Active

Constructive Responding and Praise

Show appreciation and gratitude for each other

Re-Connecting


Active Constructive Responding

• Active Constructive Responding (ACR) helps to build Connection.

• You can strengthen your relationships by responding actively and constructively to others’ positive experiences.


Build Strong Relationships through ACR

• There are four ways people tend to respond when others share good news, talk about a positive experience, or describe a success.

• Only one of the four styles leads to stronger relationships.


But… how the other person responds matters.

Constructive Destructive

Authentic interest,

elaborates the experience; person feels

validated and understood

Squashing the event, brings

conversation to a halt; person feels

ashamed, embarrassed,

guilty, or angry

Quiet, understated support;

conversation fizzles out; person feels unimportant,

misunderstood, embarrassed, or

guilty

Ignoring the event; conversation never starts; person feels

confused, guilty, or disappointedP

assiv

eA

cti

ve


Your face is worth a thousand words…Constructive Destructive

Passiv

eA

cti

ve

Joy Multiplier Joy Thief

Conversation Killer

Conversation Hijacker


Ask these Questions

• Why should we care about how we respond and how it makes others feel?

• When is it difficult to choose Active Constructive Responding style?

• When did someone use a style other than Active Constructive with you in the past? How did it make you feel? Did it change how you viewed yourself or your abilities?

• What have you tried that seems to help you respond more actively or constructively?

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What are your patterns?

• Make a list of the key people in your life (family members, friends, colleagues, Platoon members, etc.).

• Think about which box indicates the style of responding that is typical of you with that individual (consider what you say, how focused versus distracted you are, your body language, etc.).


Praise & Criticism

• Effective criticism identifies what wasn’t working and creates a path forward, frequently leads off with “it is my understanding that….”.

• Effective Praise identifies what was working and creates winning streaks.


Praise

• Effective Praise names the specific strategy, effort, or skill that led to the good outcome.

• Praise and criticism are opportunities to shape behavior, enhance motivation, and build optimism and resilience.


How do you know if you, one of your buddies, or those you lead are struggling with the transition?

Resilience Checks


Driving Alcohol Revved up Sleep Over-controlling Over-reacting Angry Detached or numb

Resilience Checks (1 of 2)


“You’ve changed”

Intrusive memories

Guilt and grief

Relationships

Weapons

Risk taking

Adrenaline highs

Future focus

Resilience Checks (2 of 2)


Takeaways• Skills and experience to building

resiliency and overcoming life challenges

• Reestablishing relationships• Identifying soldiers struggling with

reintegration • Deployment is a lifetime event use

the skills learned to your advantage!.


Warrior Training Web Page


“However long the night, the dawn will break.” African Proverb


Questions?Come talk to me!..

Welcome Home!

2014 Master Resiliency Training by Cary McEntee

Self Improvement

Transcript of 2014 Master Resiliency Training by Cary McEntee