USS Nimitz (CVN 68) held a Personal Resiliency Workshop to assist Sailors and Marines who are struggling with the stress of deployment, September 20.

Lt. Larry Jones, a chaplain for Chaplains Religious Enrichment Development Operation (CREDO), Bahrain, was flown aboard Nimitz to teach the workshop. He taught 40 participants how to properly deal with work-related stress, family issues and adjustments to military life.

"My favorite part is to see the 'aha!' moments, when they see and understand things about themselves and other people," said Jones. "People always have that moment, and they say 'oh, this is why this happens.' Watching them learn that and embrace it is the highlight for me."

The workshop is based from a relationship intelligence program from Prep for Individuals, Inc. Participants were each given a series of modules that were discussed throughout the workshop, including group exercises and personal questionnaires.

"I wanted to get a different perspective on life," said Personnel Specialist 1st Class Sylvia Chemiati, from Kenya. "We tend to sit in an environment where we do the same thing over and over. I wanted to learn how to speak my mind in a positive way."

Deployment can be stressful in many ways, and everyone deals with stress differently. The workshop focused on learning about varieties of personalities and how to accept and work with different people. How to manage personal relationships during and after deployment was also discussed.

"I've learned how to communicate with the people I work with, and how not to respond in a passive-aggressive way," said Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Jaalyn Owens, from Cleveland. "Everyone's personalities are different. I've also learned that my opinion matters."

After the workshop, the participants were encouraged to take what they learned back to their work centers and apply their new skills of communication and stress-management.

Nimitz is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. While in this region, the ship and strike group are conducting maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners, preserve freedom of navigation, and maintain the free flow of commerce.

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