JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. - –
A team of instructors from Army Community Service at Fort Eustis, Virginia, host the monthly seminar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. over a four-day period to teach spouses the same material U.S. Army Soldiers are required to learn when they first arrive on a new duty station.
ACS offers the resiliency training for military spouses looking to gain problem solving skills as a way to communicate more effectively with their partner.
"Going through this training seminar is going to help spouses learn the lingo their partner learns at work," said Mendie Pedigo, ACS spouse master resilience trainer. "The skills help them walk though problems or issues together to further their relationships.
All spouses, ranging from newlywed to 20-year veteran spouses, are invited to take part in the training. Participants learn key resiliency skills such as avoiding negative thinking, learning character strengths and assertive communication and effective praise techniques.
"[For spouses,] it really doesn't matter what stage they are at or how long they have been married, because their resiliency may be challenged at any time," said Pedigo. "This class will give them tools and skills they need to be successful and hopefully use to bounce back from any situation."
Various ACS trainers like Pedigo and her husband, Sgt. 1st Class Lucas Pedigo, Warrior Transition Unit platoon sergeant, teach the seminar, allowing for scenario examples to come from different points of view and giving participants the ability to understand different parts of military life.
"Different trainers have been through different situations so they can explain certain things better than others," said Roger Bullis, ACS community readiness consultant. "It makes them more relatable to the spouses so they can understand the material better."
For participants like Lauren Pingree, who married Capt. Steven Pingree, 511th Dive Detachment diving officer, less than two years ago, the course helps transition into the military lifestyle.
"I've never been a part of a military community, and it's a lot to learn and it can be overwhelming at times when you don't fully understand things," said Pingree. "I wanted to get more understanding of what [Capt. Pingree] learning and be on the same page as him when he talks about work."
Though the course provides information to help spouses communicate effectively, Pingree said it also provides training for handling day-to-day struggles.
"The military is always changing, so I came here to learn how to be resilient and keep going," she said. "When [Capt. Pingree] goes into the field, when he moves [or] when he deploys, I need to be able to take it all in, stay focused and be adaptable. This training will help me do that."
For more information or to register, call ACS at 878-3638.