summer-2024 - 30

S
Four spiritual readiness
practices that provide
purpose for service members
By Wesley Sykes, managing editor
piritual readiness is the ability to endure
and overcome times of stress, hardship, and
tragedy by making meaning of life experiences.
According to the Army's FM 7-22 document,
individuals find meaning as they exercise beliefs,
principles, ethics, and morals arising from
religious, philosophical, and human values.
Soldiers who successfully develop, sustain, and
repair their state of being while facing adversity
demonstrate spiritual readiness. Leaders who
understand spiritual readiness can encourage
personal spiritual readiness by creating a climate of
mutual respect and dignity that promotes dialogue,
fosters team cohesion, and enables healthy free
exercise of religion or no religion. This approach
enables collective and individual readiness.
Informed leaders understand the requirements
for time, space, materials, and other conditions
required to support spiritual readiness practices
within particular organizations. Individual spiritual
readiness obligations can vary widely. Leaders
consult with a chaplain or unit ministry team (UMT)
regarding these practices.
Below are some general spiritual readiness
practices courtesy of the Army's FM 7-22
document.
SERVICE AND CHARITY
Most spiritual traditions emphasize service
to others for the sake of both charity and
understanding one's relationship to other
human beings and the transcendent. This
might involve serving in a homeless shelter,
conducting work projects in the local
community, visiting the hospital, donating
funds or material goods, or helping people in
the unit in need.
HOSPITALITY
Hospitality refers to generously receiving and
providing a sustaining environment for family,
30 | Tactical Training & Conditioning | Summer 2024
summer-2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of summer-2024
