Understanding Military Culture
After earning the rank of Captain in the United States Navy and serving for 25 years, Becky Jo Watson retired and earned her MT-BC status. She recently sat down in front of the AMTA-Pro microphone to share her experiences and unique insights in an effort to help her music therapy colleagues understand military culture in order to better serve active duty military members and veterans. In this AMTA-Pro podcast, Becky talks about the pressing need for more music therapy services, and she shares 7 C’s – basic principles for music therapists to consider when developing music therapy services and strategies for contributions to readiness, rehabilitation, recovery, and wellness among America’s military populations, both active duty service members and veterans.
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Understanding Military Culture
Becky Jo Watson, Capt, SC, USN (Ret), MBA, MT-BC
AMTA-Pro podcast February, 2015
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7 C’s
The podcast discussion focuses on background information in seven key areas, along with recommended strategies and approaches in each area for effective music therapy services for active duty service members and veterans.
1. Character and Conformity
2. Chain of Command
3. Customs and Ceremonies
4. Camaraderie
5. Communication
6. Cadence
7. Core Values: Honor, Courage, Commitment
Podcast Speaker Bio: Becky Watson, MBA, MT-BC, is the Founder and Owner of Music for Wellness, a company that provides programs and services for enriching mind, body, and spirit through music. As one of the rare women to become a former Navy Captain, Becky has always been passionate about supporting the health and healing of veterans and people who are community heroes.
Raised on a farm in Kansas, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics at Bethany College and an MBA from Troy State in Norfolk, VA. During Becky’s 25 year Navy career, she lead, mentored, and coached hundreds of sailors, civilians and contractors while managing millions of dollars and providing operational logistics. Pertinent to Music Therapy, Becky formally ran also ran several 24 hour fitness centers due to her commitment to health.
After serving her country, she chose to continue serving seniors with her passion of music. She completed multiple training programs in facilitation of drumming, keyboard, and a degree in Music Therapy plus a 6 months internship at Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, VA. Becky now creates music products and programs to enhance the quality of life in supporting the health and well-being of older adults, veterans and community heroes.
Becky Watson is the recipient of the “Social Venture Award” during Citi’s and Institute of Veteran and Military Families (IVMF’s) “Realizing Your Dream” Business Competition for Veterans. She is also a dynamic presenter and speaker during national and local conferences and guest lecturer at Eastern Virginia Medical School of Gerontology and Old Dominion University. Becky lives in Norfolk, VA with her husband Rod (retired Navy Officer) and two children.
AMTA E-course: Music Therapy and Military Populations
The Music Therapy and Military Populations AMTA E-course is based on a 2014 status report presented by the American Music Therapy Association about music therapy treatment, programs, research, and practice policy. It is a briefing report for military leadership, military support personnel, federal government officials, representatives of arts and other related organizations, music therapy professionals, and non-profit policy makers. The information provides the groundwork to improve access to music therapy services among military populations and to inform strategic plans for expanded and prioritized implementation of music therapy programs, research, and practice policy in the military. This AMTA E-course allows board certified music therapists an opportunity to earn 3 CMTE credits approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists by reading the briefing report and submitting the required CMTE Evaluation form.
This landmark report discusses the profession of music therapy with a focus on both active duty service members and veterans, and explores music therapy profession’s rich, enduring contributions to readiness, rehabilitation, recovery, and wellness among America’s military populations. The briefing report presents exemplary model programs and highlights the strong foundation of published research and evidence to inform practice.
http://www.musictherapy.org/careers/continuing_music_therapy_education/
February 27th, 2015 at 1:10 am
I enjoyed your podcast and am so happy to see you in our profession. I am the wife of a Navy Seabee Veteran. My husband was ERB’d out of the Navy in April 2012. During my husband’s 15 years of service, I was a navy spouse for 10 of those years. My husband, UT2 Ribet, was part of the original seabees in Iraq the night the war started. His battalion NMCB74 was the battalion that built the largest airstrip during that deployment which was essential for getting supplies in for the marines to do their job. My husband did 5 deployments to the Middle East and multiple deployments around the world. He served in 3 battalions during his service. NMCB 74 was decommissioned last year as part of budget cuts. Our base/MWR privileges end in April 2015. My husband and I are and always will be a proud Navy family. Despite military budget cuts, which my husband was part of the original 3,000 active duty cut, we love the military and miss the life.
Since my husband’s separation from the navy, he used his GI benefits to get his CDL license and is now a driver trainer for a very good trucking company. We were very smart with our money during our time in the Navy. We bought a reasonable home in Gulfport, Mississippi using my husband’s VA loan. We never carried debt, other than my student loan to get my MT-BC, and we have good benefits through my husband’s job. (We do miss those awesome military benefits.) I am sure you are aware of the seabee ‘Can Do’ spirit. My husband and I both have that spirit.
I now own and operate the only music therapy business in Mississippi which I opened in August 2013. I just hired my first 2 independent contractors and have grown to now serve the southern half of Mississippi from Jackson to the Gulf coast.
As a navy ombudsman. I saw first hand the need for military family support. I was very vocal as a student at national AMTA conference for more research and accessibility of music therapy to military and their families. Your podcast spoke to me on many levels. I may not know the Navy from a sailor’s point of view, but I definitely know the Navy from a spouse’s point of view. The 10 years I spent as a navy wife were the most wonderful and hardest years of my life. Navy life made me stronger as an individual and a wife. My husband and I will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary in May and we hope to spend many more together. Thank you for your service and thank you for choosing this profession.