Table of contentsDestructive behaviorPositive psychologyOptimismConclusionThe army's doctrine has long consisted of fighting on two fronts. On the one hand, we are fighting terrorists as we move into a full-scale emergency operation. The other is a multi-issue fight for the very soul of our military: the silent killer suicide and destructive behaviors such as the sexual assault crisis, domestic violence and drug addiction. A recent review of national statistics found that twenty-two veterans commit suicide every day. Suicide rates in the U.S. military have increased by 20 percent, surpassing that of the U.S. civilian population, which has historically been higher than that of the U.S. military. Sexual assaults increased by 38% between 2016 and 2018, from 14,900 to 20,500 (Rempfer 2019). A recent domestic violence survey indicated that 15% of families did not feel safe in their current situation. Drug addiction affects more than 20,000 soldiers each year. These problems significantly degrade the capability of our military by destroying the fabric of our most valuable resource, our Soldiers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Commanders bear responsibility for mission accomplishment and the well-being of Soldiers. Building cohesive, trained, and effective teams allows the commander to apply today's mission command philosophy. The emphasis on positive psychology and Masters in Resilience Training (MRT) will enable Soldiers to lead more meaningful lives while providing them with the tools necessary to overcome these challenges. Sergeant Majors supported by key NCOs must assist the Commander in building a positive, motivated, trained and cohesive unit built on trust and camaraderie by encouraging and supporting positive psychology and MRT. Destructive Behaviors Army leaders would all like to believe that their organizations are healthy, well-oiled machines and that their soldiers are physically fit and mentally strong. We tend to believe that soldiers with psychological problems or major trauma would not serve. Unfortunately, this is often very far from reality. Life in the Army can be extremely stressful and hectic, often leaving Soldiers feeling alone, disconnected and depressed. If these highly charged emotions are left untreated, these feelings can manifest into destructive behaviors such as substance abuse, domestic violence, suicides, and even sexual assault. Each of these behaviors poses a high risk to the unit by reducing its numbers and destroying unit cohesion. In the Army, we rely on teamwork, trust and camaraderie built through challenging training, sharing emotions and experiences. The experiences that bonded soldiers together are shattered when a soldier commits suicide, commits sexual assault, or suffers from drug addiction. These behaviors may cause the unit to wonder what they may have done to prevent the assault, or how they failed to see the substance abuse, stress, or aggressive behavior leading to domestic violence, or why they are intervened in a situation which could have led to a sexual assault. Sergeant Majors exercise significant influence within their organization and have a significant impact on training and organizational well-being; they can exert their influence through the implementation of formal and informal training. TrainingFormal training would consist of qualified Resilience Master Trainers who would regularly conduct Resilience Master training and discussions at the corporate level or below. Informal training could consist of guidance and mentoring for subordinate leaders, ensuring they have the tools needed to support their Soldiers. Learning positive psychology and Master Resiliency can help leaders prevent destructive behaviors by teaching optimism and individual well-being. Positive PsychologyPositive psychology is described in several ways, the most commonly accepted definition of the field is: "Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life worth living." It is a scientific approach to thoughts, feelings, and behavior that emphasizes strengths, including positive experiences, positive traits (gratitude, compassion), and positive institutions. Dr. Martin Seligman initially developed positive psychology in 1998. The concept gave rise to Dr. Seligman's desire to move from a psychology focused on mental illness and the negative aspects of mental health to a desire to focus on " what gives life, rather than what gives life. exhausting “with an emphasis on happiness, well-being, exceptionalism, strengths and fulfillment”. In 2007-2008, Dr. Michael Matthews studied applications of positive psychology in the military. The first was to emphasize building resilience before combat. It is often too late to treat PTSD or other mental health issues once the problem has arisen, because the soldier has likely already suffered greatly by the time leaders recognize the need for help. This application is the preventative maintenance phase where we use Master Resiliency Training (MRT) to help Soldiers cope with challenges and focus on the positive aspects of life. Leadership is also a key to developing resilience before combat, it is imperative that we develop small team leaders through platoon sergeants who can build cohesive teams through positive reinforcement. MRT includes six skills: self-awareness, self-regulation, optimism, mental agility, character strengths, and connection. The Sergeant Major is a key component in monitoring and supporting the MRT program within the unit. The Army uses the Global Assessment Tool (GAT) to provide an assessment of emotional, social and family fitness. Key elements are the soldier's assessment of his or her leadership, emphasizing the importance of leaders developing positive environments built on trust. Exceptional leadership affects certain behaviors such as idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. Positive, motivating and reinforcing leadership has a direct impact on a soldier's confidence and increases their optimism. OptimismOptimism builds a soldier's confidence and morale as he develops hope that his future will be successful. Optimism tends to inflate our self-confidence; only an optimist would invest all his savings in starting a business; This is why the most successful people are optimists. Optimism breeds success by fostering this “positive attitude.” As sergeant majors, we lead by example and must exemplify this optimistic “can-do attitude” and focus our efforts on the mastery skill of resilience optimism in order to build cohesive and effective teams. The Army builds teams using the Confidence Course.