The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Senior Chaplain converted the Regiment Chaplain offices into the 11th ACR Spiritual Resiliency Center as a new approach to maintaining spiritual fitness.
Spiritual fitness is defined as one’s ability to sustain a sense of self and purpose using their beliefs, principles, values and morals, in the face of adversity. The end state is to help achieve and maintain a state of fitness, rather than addressing issues after they arise.
“Our job is not to give advice, our job is to give Soldiers options. We can help you make informed decisions and enable you to take ownership of your life through counseling,” said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Terrell Jones, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Senior Chaplain. “Being spiritually fit can influence resilience and well-being by buffering stress.”
Jones set out to improve upon the Fort Irwin experience and create an area where soldiers have a safe place to meet. The lobby of the building was upgraded to feature new couches, literature with counseling information that Soldiers and family members can use for themselves, a television, DVD player, and tabletop water fountain. The building now also includes room dividers to partition individual areas of the building and create a soothing, relaxing space.
Services offered inside the Spiritual Resiliency Center include, financial management, relationship, career, and family counseling. Amenities available are free WiFi, a coffee machine, snack closet, putting green mat, television, snocone machine, popcorn machine, and various board games. The Spiritual Resiliency Center also utilizes additional resources on post such as the Army Wellness Center, a Military & Family Life Counselor, and Army Community Service.
“In today’s Army, we are facing several challenges in combatting suicide, sexual assault, risky behavior, and poor decision-making skills, especially among Soldiers aged 25 and younger, who comprise a larger percentage of the force here in 11th ACR. Having a safe place for Soldiers and family members to come relax and talk is crucial for overall readiness,” said Chaplain Jones. “It doesn’t matter if someone has a religious background or not, the Unit Ministry Team and the Military Family & Life Counselor are here for the Soldiers and their families.”
The Spiritual Resiliency Center is available to Soldiers during the week, Monday through Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m, Thursday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Spiritual Resiliency Center is located at Building T-213 on Avenue B, Fort Irwin, Calif. The Spiritual Resiliency Center can be reached at (760) 380-5458, and the On Call Chaplain can be reached at 760-267-0524.