Positive Psychology and Master Resiliency Training in the Army

Introduction

Sheldon and King (2001) state that positive psychology is "nothing more than the scientific study of ordinary human strengths and virtues" (p. 216). In other words, it is the science of how people can live well and be strong. For that reason, positive psychology serves as the core of Master Resiliency Training (MRT) in the U.S. Army. Just as positive psychology focuses on identifying the elements that enable individuals to flourish (Fredrickson, 2001), MRT enables leaders in the Army to demonstrate and teach the skills that soldiers need to overcome obstacles and face challenges with determination, commitment, and the ability to succeed. As Gen. Casey (2011) puts it, "the Army is leveraging the science of psychology in order to improve our force's resilience" (p. 1). This paper argues that Sergeants Major can use positive psychology in general and MRT in particular to teach mental and emotional toughness to the soldiers in their units, so that those soldiers in turn can face a variety of difficulties — from substance abuse to dealing with sexual assault — with grace, determination, and focus, surmounting them to maintain a good life.

What Is Positive Psychology?

Positive psychology focuses on what motivates people to succeed. It looks at the sources of inspiration that make individuals want to reach toward the light and hold onto the good. Positive psychology is the essence of the concept of "chicken soup for the soul" — the idea that people need to surround themselves with positive inputs in order to resist the negative distractions and oppressive feedback that can stymie their potential. It is the core approach of basic psychology, insofar as psychology focuses on how to help human beings be happy and at peace (Sheldon & King, 2001).

The way to achieve this happiness and peace is through the cultivation of positive emotions (Fredrickson, 2001). The way to cultivate positive emotions is through the development of resources that people can use to ward off anxiety, stress, depression, and anger — anything that can hold one back. The resources most commonly utilized to assist in this process are mental toughness, which comes by way of conditioning; commitment to an ideal, which can be fostered through habit and virtue; and mindfulness, which can come by way of meditation (Fredrickson, Cohn, Coffey, Pek, & Finkel, 2008). Sergeants Major can help soldiers develop their mental toughness, commit to an ideal, and strengthen their mindfulness by implementing MRT.

Master Resiliency Training (MRT)

Through MRT, Sergeants Major learn the skills and methods needed to train their soldiers in resilience. The life of an ordinary civilian is difficult enough; the life of a soldier is doubly demanding. The soldier is not only responsible for tending to himself and making sure his life is in order — he is also responsible for tending to his unit and supporting his brothers in arms at all times. The soldier in the Army is a member of a family tasked with defending the homeland at great personal risk. He is expected to live up to the demands of this task and serve honorably in the capacity allotted to him.

Unfortunately, leaders in the Army are often confronted with the baggage that many soldiers bring with them into the military, or that they accumulate along the way. Leaders have to know how to help soldiers deal effectively with this baggage so that it does not weigh them down mentally and lead them toward collapse. Too many soldiers suffer from PTSD because they lacked resilience. The Sergeant Major who has completed MRT is better equipped to help soldiers obtain that resilience, enabling them to deal with whatever issues are impacting them — whether depression, anxiety, or fear. MRT provides the framework for developing a successful and positive approach to life.

Conclusion

Positive psychology is a useful approach to keeping soldiers determined, focused, and in pursuit of the good life. Sergeants Major can use MRT, which is rooted in positive psychology, to instill in their soldiers the kind of mental and emotional toughness needed to overcome stress, challenges, personal issues, and any trauma that might be negatively impacting them. The primary means by which MRT accomplishes this is through identifying and developing the six key areas that build resilience: self-awareness, self-regulation, optimism, mental agility, character strengths, and connections. These competencies help soldiers support one another and overcome the issues that can distract them from giving their full effort to the unit.

The U.S. Army has recognized the need for its leaders to provide soldiers with a solid foundation for developing resilience in the face of any challenge. MRT gives leaders the training they need to teach that resilience effectively. Soldiers learn that to be the best version of themselves, they must be mindful and aware of their emotions and thoughts — especially those that trigger negative behavior. Once mindful of these triggers, they can begin to exercise self-control, maintain a positive outlook, remain honest, and seek help without fear. A degree of mental agility is required, as is an understanding of one's own strengths, so that those strengths can be used to build positive relationships with others.

The key to MRT's successful application is helping soldiers see that they are all part of one team, and that if one member is troubled, all are affected. They must learn to support one another with empathy and respect, and always seek to lead by example — demonstrating that to live well is not only possible but necessary for every soldier and Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army.