Spiritual Readiness is one of the many aspects of a warfighter’s mentality that contribute to being mission ready, and although it’s a newer Commander, Navy Region Southwest (CNRSW) initiative it is said to be an important one.
“We work hard to train like we fight,” said U.S. Navy Commander Jaisen Fuson, Chaplain Corps. “Clearly we want a technological and skill advantage, but what may not be as obvious is the significance of a strong spiritual core within our Sailors. A strong spiritual core within each of us has been scientifically proven to be the single greatest defensive factor against destructive behavior.”
This January, CNRSW held its first Spiritual Readiness Month (SRM) to promote the capacity for mission accomplishment that results from the warfighter’s connection to the transcendent. To promote this connection CNRSW, shared a spiritual readiness guide and a suggested calendar to follow with days like “Fellowship Fridays,” where engaging and sharing with members of your community is encouraged, and “Thankful Thursdays”, where Sailors are encouraged to make a list of 10 things they are grateful for in their lives.
Although the SRM calendar had days like “Sabbath Sundays” and “Tithing Tuesdays” with religious inspirations, SRM itself is not inherently religious according to Fuson.
“[Spiritual readiness] is about a connection to something greater than ourselves,” said Fuson. “Being present in a real community of like minded, healthy lifestyle advocates, experiencing the joy of personal sacrifice and service for the greater good, and regularly pursuing meaning and purpose in life.”
One way that Sailors boost their spiritual readiness that doesn’t involve religion is by volunteering in their community.
“I volunteer for my community in Jamul with a program called ‘Feeding the Flock,’ said OS2 Amanda Martin. “We do it monthly, where we put together boxes of food and other family and household goods to families in need without any judgment or discrimination… That’s part of what I do for my community that makes me feel good and makes me feel closer to humanity.”
According to Fuson, January is the month that we recognize spiritual readiness, it is something that is important year round and is hand in hand with physical, mental and emotional readiness.
“I think it’s all encompassing, I think your spirituality being where it needs to be to be a capable person is set by your physical readiness and your mental readiness,” said Martin. “If you’re not physically ready, that dominoes into your mental state and if you're not mentally ready that dominos into your spiritual state so it all works together.”