San Antonio Goes 'Between the Lifelines'

USS SAN ANTONIO, At Sea (NNS) -- Leadership aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17) developed a new motivational training program for Sailors needing a little extra help.

'Between the Lifelines' is a program based off the Navy's 'Bearings' class.

"The mission of our program is to build life skills that promote personal and professional success," said program coordinator Chief Fire Controlman Lee Smith. "One of our main jobs as leaders is to provide our Sailors with the necessary tools to help them excel during their time in the Navy," he added.

Three key tools are lessons in communication, problem solving, and managing anger, stress and conflict. Most experienced Sailors have been challenged with one or more of these lessons throughout their career, which is why leadership participation is one of the keys to making the program a success.

"The nice thing about this course is it's flexibility to adjust to whatever the needs of the Sailors are at any given point," said San Antonio Command Master Chief Thomas Meglen. "With the use of real Navy life experiences incorporated into the course from E-6 and senior Sailors, it puts a realistic view into the minds of young Sailors and drives the point home."

"We invite leaders who, like them, while young were doing a lot of things that they thought they could get away with but didn't, to come and speak about their experiences," said Chief Personnel Specialist Romeo Perez, who also helps coordinate the program. "Sharing our experiences with them is the most exciting part of the course. Most of these Sailors come to class thinking this is going to be boring. Once we get them to interact with the instructors and share our experiences, they get excited and begin to appreciate what they have now."

One student especially appreciated the interactivity with the instructors.

"What stood out for me in class was all the experience that came in and talked to us," said Storekeeper 3rd Class Ronald Vasquez, who went though the second available class. "We had lots of leaders, from master chiefs to warrant officers, telling us they've been in some of the same situations we've been in. They learned from their mistakes and wanted us to learn from them too," he added.

"The leadership here provides years of experience and firsthand knowledge of all the topics covered," echoed Smith. "It's important to get a different point of view and this course allows for an opportunity they normally would not get."

One instructor told the class a story of his checkered past.

"I saw their jaws drop when I told them I went to captain's mast and was awarded restriction and a suspended reduction in rank. Once they realized what I had done and still made it to chief petty officer, it was my hope they realized it's not too late to straighten up."

Course coordinators do not want this program looked upon as a negative thing, but rather career enhancing.

"We don't want Sailors to think they were singled out because of their past and affiliations," said Perez. "This course is more of a preventive measure."

"Unfortunately, the program has been viewed by some as you're in trouble if you attend the course," included Smith. "That is not the case. There's a lot of good information covered that is useful to everybody. I'm hoping to have some volunteers sign up.

"We don't have any bad Sailors; we have good Sailors who sometimes make bad choices," continued Smith. "Nobody joins the Navy to get into trouble. The Navy is a hard lifestyle with constant change. This program gives these Sailors a chance to step back and assess where they are in their Navy career," Smith concluded.

That assessment, thus far, has been a positive one.

"I recommend this course to my shipmates," said Vasquez. "This program presents the big picture and how important it is for an individual to do their best when facing stressful situations."

"I hope the Sailors who take this course are re-energized and more focused about why they joined the Navy," Smith added. "I hope they make their time in the Navy as productive as possible, whether it's additional qualifications, college classes or simply making a better life for themselves."

San Antonio is deployed as part of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) supporting maritime security operations (MSO) in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of operations. MSO help develop security in the maritime environment. From security arises stability that results in global economic prosperity. MSO complements the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

For more news from USS San Antonio, visit www.navy.mil/local/lpd17.