MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala — The cadre at Air University’s Ira C. Eaker Center for Leadership Development’s Master Resilience Trainer Course are building Mission Ready Airmen during a 5-day course at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, November 4-8, 2024.

The course is designed to provide students with the foundational knowledge needed to facilitate Comprehensive Airman Fitness skills training and peer support at their respective units.

Upon graduation, students are certified as Master Resilience Trainers and are prepared to work with their wing’s Integrated Prevention Office to ensure application of resilience education and support across their installation.
“By building a repeatable resilient practice and putting these skillsets into action, we have a fighting force capable of making sound decisions that mitigate risk, increase safety, and foster a cohesive team that communicates effectively up and down the chain, to realize Commander’s intent,” said Tech. Sgt. Kathleen McConnell, an MRT Course Instructor.

The course cadre recently implemented two new lessons with the objective of demonstrating how resilient Airmen are better equipped to support the Mission Command leadership philosophy within their units.

On day one of the course, the instructors introduce the principles of Mission Command and the 5 C’s, character, competence, capability, cohesion and capacity. During the lesson, students break out into groups to discuss how their knowledge of resilience ties into competencies such as executing commander’s intent, communication, character development and unit cohesion. Then on day three, the students get to revisit these concepts after covering the course material, to connect specific resilience skills that they have learned throughout the week to Mission Command principles.

“By instilling responsibility and accountability within a resilience framework, we are preparing our airmen for challenges they have yet to encounter,” said Tech. Sgt. Brianna Benko, an MRT Course Instructor. “It is our hope that by practicing these skills, they can further succeed in contested environments.”

The process for becoming an MRT involves leadership identifying military and civilian members who would be capable and reliable peer-supporters for their organizations. Once the MRT candidate is identified, they will coordinate with their wing’s Integrated Prevention Office to complete the next steps in the process for nominating the member to enroll in the MRT Course.

Upon graduation from the MRT Course, members are permitted the wear of the MRT patch on their left shoulder, identifying them as go-to leaders for building personal and organizational well-being. They are uniquely prepared to build resilience within others, foster inclusive and cohesive environments, and further build trust within units.

(U.S. Air Force news article by Master Sgt. Eric Spillman)