Army Family Life Training
Chaplains in the U.S. Army who are chosen to participate in family life training go through a 15-month training course that focuses on counseling. Chaplains are the spiritual leaders of the Army. They minister to the soldiers and the families of the soldiers. A variety of faiths, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam, are served in the Army.
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History
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The Army family life training program began at Fort Riley, Kansas, where a community-based program of clinical pastoral education was held. The response was positive, and a model program was formed and accredited with the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy in New York. Eighteen chaplains were trained. The Army Chief of Chaplains decided that such a program would help the soldiers before, during and after deployment.
Training
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The training for family life occurs at three locations: Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia and Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The course lasts 15 months and is considered very intense. The chaplains must endure 13-hour days, as well as 48 hours where they are in a group with one another. Upon graduation, a chaplain will receive a master's degree in family and marriage therapy and complete 300 hours of student teaching. The chaplains are chosen by a board and they must meet requirements to enter into a master's degree program.
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Fort Benning
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The main location for the family life training is located at Fort Benning in the Chaplain Family Life Center. The center houses the Chaplain Family Life Training Program. It is an advanced program in which chaplains receive family life counseling training. Every year, five chaplains receive the training. The center is located in the Soldier's Plaza. One program available in the center is called Rainbows. The program helps children through the grieving process. A variety of programs are available at the center, including couples communication, family enrichment and parenting skills.
Fort Hood
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Different types of counseling and programs are available at the Family Life Chaplain Training Center at Fort Hood. The center provides counseling to families, individuals and couples. Every Tuesday, the center has Family Wellness, which focuses on parenting, family values and communication and change management. On the first Wednesday of every month, Marriage 101 is offered. The class focuses on helping married couples better understand one another and on improving communication. Marriage 101 is required for a couple to get married in a chapel located on Fort Hood. On the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month, Children-in-the-Middle teaches parents how to help their children cope with divorce or separation.
Benefits
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According to Chaplain Doug Hoover at Fort Benning, the family life training the chaplains go through allows them to become better counselors. He said they also learn clinical skills through university classes and training at the center. Hoover went through the program in 2009 and said it has helped him understand and connect with the soldiers and their families. Most of the counseling that is requested at the Fort Benning center, according to Hoover, is marriage-related, but he added that there are a number of people who need counseling for post traumatic stress disorder.
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