Morale Welfare and Recreation, Essay Example

The Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Department is a system of services designed to promote leisure activities, recreation, and entertainment for members of the Armed Forces. Each branch of the military operates its own network of MWRs at various locations. I recently began an internship at the Whiting Field MWR in Pensacola, Florida. Despite the brief time I have spent here, I already feel as if I have benefited from this opportunity. Throughout this process, I learned that the MWR has extensive exercise facilities that include racquetball courts, weight rooms and equipment, and an outdoor swimming pool. As an intern, it was my responsibility to clean specific areas, ensure that moveable equipment was returned to its proper place, and assist each and every department staff member and manager. After spending the first three weeks in the fitness center, I was then moved to the Intramural Sports department. This department allowed me to learn more about outdoor sports, tournaments, and attend intramural basketball games, as well as the everyday functions in relation to operations procedures and administration protocol. After spending some time here, I was then sent to the Liberty department. This department arranges off-base activities. These outings can include attending concerts, going to sporting events, visiting museums, and attending military and civilian functions. During my time here, I know I will be responsible for a number of duties including driving while on various trips and organizing group activities just to name a few. After spending some time with the Liberty department, I moved onto Golf. This is pretty self-explanatory as I knew I would be dealing with anything and everything to do with golf, the golf course, putting greens and driving ranges. Finally, I was able to get a feel for Marketing, Admin. Food and Beverage, and Outdoor Adventures. These are all important aspects of the program at MWR and I was very lucky to have the opportunity to learn more about them. The best thing about the internship at MWR is that it affords me the opportunity to work with separate individuals and to learn their ways of doing things in their own departments. Since I am a Physical Education major and have an extensive understanding of sports, fitness, and recreational activities, I needed to have the opportunity to learn how others did things in their fields so that I may be able to do my job better in the end. In addition, it is important for a person to understand why they go into internship programs. Most do so in order to get a feel for the company or the field to see if they would enjoy working in that area. However, it was the complete opposite for me. I had done my research and understood just what I was getting myself into. I knew that MWR was the right place for me and that this was where I wanted to work. Therefore, during my internship with MWR, I wanted to be able to go into each department with an open mind and to give each department my best. With all said, the MWR department offers a great opportunity to build a steady, stable career. It has excellent benefits and will help me promote an active, healthy lifestyle. I believe that this opportunity can fulfill my enjoyment of physical education and my goals of providing a substantial living as a single parent for a son that I adore more than anything.

The purpose of this internship was not just to fulfill a requirement in my eyes. It was to gain insight, learn new things, and develop relationships with people who are building careers that I seek. The true purpose for my internship was so that I had an opportunity to get to know others in my field, to gain access to knowledge that I would not have gained in a classroom, and to learn who I wanted to be as a professional and as a human being. This internship gave me a chance to meet clientele, administrators, managers, and many others whom I may be working with in the future. That is something to me. That means that I am already making connections with individuals in order to sustain a great working environment when I am hired at this MWR facility or another one. The purpose for me is all based on connections as well as an unattainable knowledge from a classroom setting.

I do not believe that anyone can really explain in full detail the significance of an internship. However, internships such as the one I had the opportunity to complete, provide the person with new skills, a broad range of knowledge in their field, access to professionals within the field that are able to teach accordingly, access to the type of clientele they will be working with on a daily basis, and the opportunity to learn the basics of operations management, productivity, budgeting, administrative skills, and many other procedures. This opportunity has played a very significant role in my life, my education, and my future career. It has given me the knowledge, confidence, and skills to be able to perform my job requirements at a higher level as it has shown me how to do things that a normal classroom setting could not do. It has taught me the how-to rather than the who, what, when, and why. It has provided me with hands-on practice that I will be able to take with me throughout the rest of my education and into the career path that I choose. The significance of internships is great. These opportunities allow individuals such as myself to learn about their own needs, wants, desires, and skills. They give the individual a sense of satisfaction as they have completed something different. This has been a great experience for me and I will take it with me, whether I am able to obtain a career at this MWR or another facility. Because of this facility, I will be a better asset to any other company that decides to hire me after college.

There aren’t many definitions of terms for my particular internship. However, some of them that may be unusual to the reader would be the following:

• The Muscle Max class is a combination of cardio and strength training
• The PIYO class is a hybrid workout combining Yoga and Pilates to improve flexibility and strength.
• The TRX class is a strength training program where the participants use the resistance of their own body weight involving suspension straps to increase muscular endurance.

My goals and objectives going into this internship were quite clear to me. I knew that this was the place in which I wanted to do my internship and I knew the specific reasons why. Many individuals complete internships, as stated earlier, so that they can figure out where they want to be, if they even like the field, and to find a place where they belong. However, this was not the case for me. I knew that I belonged here at the MWR. Therefore, my goals and objectives were pretty simple. During the course of my internship, I wanted to be able to go into each and every department with an open mind and be able to give that specific department all of my attention and my very best performance. Another one of my goals was to learn everything I possibly could about each individual department and how it operated so that I knew I would be able to make a valuable contribution no matter what aspect of the field I went into. My main objective was to learn as much as I possibly could in order to feel as if I knew that I could make a positive change and a greater contribution to the department that I chose later in life. With that being said, I believe that my next paragraph will explain just how much I did achieve my goals and objectives in the amount of time I had with each individual department and its managers.

Beginning January 9^th, I began my internship at Whiting Field with Morale Recreation and Welfare (MWR). My first meeting was with Wayne Short, the Recreational Program Manager. During my first meeting with Mr. Short, we went over my start date, end date, writing assignments, weekly required meetings, and my program assignment schedule. This first assignment was scheduled from January 9-January 27 at the Fitness Center. For this particular area, my point of contact was Terence Edgar, the program manager of the department. My initial meeting with Mr. Edgar was to go over my tentative schedule which consisted of times for me to observe group fitness classes, walk through a beginner’s circuit training routine, consider and discuss special events, and instructions covering but not limited to operations procedures and administration protocol. During this week, I met with a group fitness instructor and we went over the fitness class schedule. I was informed of the classes and class times and the types of group fitness activities. I learned the three different routines offered for the group fitness activities which include the Muscle Max class, the PIYO class, and the TRX class. During the week, I was able to observe a Muscle Max class. In this time, I learned that this class started with a warm-up and the bulk of the class was interval training with 30 second bursts of cardio followed by strength training exercises. Though overall I learned a lot this week, I did find some negative things in the class that I observed. I noticed that the class was not held in a closed room and felt that this may have made certain people uncomfortable. Also, I noticed the absence of mirrors made it hard for participants to check their form while lifting weights.

In weeks two and three, I remained at the Fitness Center at MWR. Again, I met with Mr. Edgar. Week two consisted of touring the facilities, observing a group fitness class, and walking through a beginner circuit. While touring the facility, I was awed by amount and elegancy of the area. There were locker rooms with showers, dry and wet saunas, restroom facilities, a full court basketball gym, workout equipment such as weights, cones for marking distances, and TRX straps for performing strength training exercises, two indoor racquetball courts, cardio and weight areas, and a second area that is designated for strength training. During this week, I also went through a beginning circuit training routine. Also, Mr. Edgar showed by example how to change weights and how to properly perform the exercise of each machine. Week three consisted of me helping with the cross-fit challenge, which included keeping times and counting the rounds for participants. The cross-fit challenge is an event where participants compete against one another for the fastest time. The challenge consists of 5 rounds of 500m row, 10 dead-lifts, and 20 sit-ups with an abdominal mat. I was responsible for time and documenting the participants. During this week, I also learned the Spartacus workout program. This is a high-intensity circuit training program designed to sculpt each major muscle group. Finally, I was asked to use my brain a little bit. It was my turn to try and brainstorm special events that the fitness center could offer. My first thought was an indoor triathlon that consisted of two team members. The team would have to bike 10 minutes, run 10 minutes, and row for 10 minutes. The team with the farthest distance (per both members) would win the competition. I also thought of a mini basketball tournament and a 5k run that would be held on base. Though Mr. Edgar loved all of my suggestions, he particularly liked the triathlon idea.

Weeks four, five and six put me straight in the hands of Mr. Wayne Short, the Recreational Program Manager for Intramural Sports. This assignment area was scheduled to begin on January 30^th and end on February 17^th. My point of contact for Intramural Sports was Todd Mooneyham. Our initial meeting was to go over things I would cover in the weeks to come. My specific schedule included times for me to shadow Mooneyham during office hours, discuss instructions for organizing tournaments, go over the Captain’s cup events, tour the outdoor sports facility, attend intramural basketball games, and go over instructions covering but not limited to operations procedures and administration protocol. During week four, Mr. Mooneyham covered the sports schedule and the Captain’s cup program events. In week four, I was also able to observe the basketball games that were held on Wednesday evenings. In week five, it was time for me to get a complete tour of the outdoor sports complex, organize tournaments, and help facilitate the billiards/darts tournament in the liberty building. The outdoor sports complex had two baseball fields with dugouts and bleachers, an obstacle course, and a football field surrounded by a quarter mile track. It also provided a small playground for children and a horse-shoe pit. Mr. Mooneyham showed me how to conduct tournaments for the different sports and showed me, by example, how to map out single and double elimination tournaments. Finally, this week I was able to help Mr. Mooneyham conduct the billiards/darts portion of the Captain’s cup tournament. This provided me with a fun environment as well as a chance to learn something new about tournaments. I was very impressed with how knowledgeable Mr. Mooneyham was as he explained the tournament process to me as well as giving me invaluable tools to use in the future. In week six, Mr. Mooneyham taught me all there was to know about creating a detailed budget, how it is handled, and he gave me examples of paperwork used to complete the budget so that I would have it for future reference. For example, we estimated that basketball would cost $9,100; football would cost $7,200; softball would cost $4,500; Soccer would cost $6,000; Volleyball would cost $800; and the administration fee would be $2,000 making this a total of $29,000 a year. These were great weeks and I feel very privileged to have been able to learn everything I did.

During weeks seven and eight, I moved onto my third assignment area which was the Liberty program. This was scheduled to begin on February 20^th and end on March 2^nd. My point of contact for these two weeks was Ashley Platts, the program manager. The schedule for the next two weeks included times for me to shadow Ms. Platts during office hours, participating in group trips off base, discussing and reviewing cost analysis for such trips and going over the instructions for operations procedures and administration protocol. During week seven, Ms. Platts and I went over the trip to New Orleans that Liberty would be hosting. This trip was a great experience for me as I gained knowledge about how to do certain things, met with a lot of different people, and realized that things do not always go as planned. In week eight, I learned a little more about the Liberty center and how to determine fees or charges for these specific activities. The Liberty center is available to all patrons that are active duty personnel and their dependents. There are four major rooms in the Liberty center. The first room has seven computers and is provided with internet. The second room is a movie room which looks like a mini movie theatre. The third room is the library where everything from books to movies can be rented out. Finally, the last room is a game room which consists of games such as air hockey, pool, ping pong, and darts. At the end of this week, Ms. Platts showed me the workbook and worksheets used to determine fee, price, or charge for activities. This was a positive experience for me as it taught me a lot about fees, where the money comes from and how that money can be utilized.

In weeks nine and ten, my assigned spot was the golf facility. I was scheduled to be here from March 5^th through March 16^th. My point of contact for this assignment was Dale Boyett. During week nine, I learned about the golf course and other areas that Mr. Boyett is responsible for on a daily basis. I learned that the gold course is maintained and supervised by staff provided by MWR. I also learn about the fees that were associated with the golf facility. I found that the golf course also provides a dining facility for its members which consist of hot and cold sandwiches, side orders, quick snacks, and various beverages. This area also provides lunch specials. Finally, I was able to see the upstairs bar called Mulligans. This bar provides liquor services while out on the greens. I got to spend some time with bartender in order to learn some of her responsibilities. During week ten, I had the opportunity to get a complete tour of the golf course and learn how tournaments are planned and organized for the golf course. I learned that the golf course ran on a well system and learned a lot about the sprinkler foundation and different machines used on the golf course. During this week, I was taught how the golf facility organizes golf tournaments, as well. Tournament agreements are provided that list basic agreement information. The contract expresses payment details and reminds the player that he or she is accountable for any damage to the course or equipment. The tournaments are set up with 4 players on a team and the start time is usually 8:00am. It usually takes four hours to play a round of golf. In the end, I really enjoyed my time with the program and felt that I learned a lot from the experience.

In weeks eleven and twelve, I was assigned to the water recreation program located at the Navy boat docks in Milton. My point of contact for the next two weeks was Thom Sidebottom. During week eleven, Mr. Sidebottom went over general information of the park itself, employee makeup and the pet policy. I found that this park was an excellent location for military, organizational, and family functions as it had boat and camper rentals, a wading area, picnic pavilions, playgrounds, basketball and volleyball courts and horseshoes. The staff is made up of one program manager and five employees including a mechanic who handles all repairs on site. I learned that pets are welcome here if they are on a leash. I was given the pet policy and rules for pets at this facility. It was great to be able to experience this. In week twelve, Mr. Sidebottom gave me a tour of the grounds and point out different boats and gear for rent. I was informed that there were kayaks, canoes, ski boats, Jon boats, and a bass boat all available for rent at this facility. I also learned some of the rules and requirements of operating a boat. I learned that in order to operate a boat the person must be born on or after January 1, 1998 and must have a state boater’s license to operate any vessel powered by a 10 or more horsepower engine. In all, I enjoyed my time here and learned a lot about the facility, the rules, and many of the policies.

Finally, in weeks thirteen and fourteen, I was able to go to the one place I had been anticipating throughout the entirety of my internship. My next assignment was scheduled with the Outdoor Adventure program and my point of contact was Adrienne Dahlberg. During week thirteen, we went over general information of the Outdoor Adventure program. This program is designed to introduce participants to outdoor recreation opportunities through trips, educational programs, seminars, and gear rentals. It is important to note that regardless of skill level, the program allows participants to have the opportunity to develop lifetime recreational skills, learn about safety and proper techniques, gain an appreciation and concern for the natural environment, meet new people, and have a great time while doing all of this. There are many opportunities to go on trips such as white water rafting, mounting biking, rock climbing, backpacking, canoeing/kayaking, caving, canyon exploration, surfing, and paddle boarding. The trips change from month to month and the schedule is posted in the rental shop. During the final week of my internship, I had the opportunity to go on a trip to the Florida caverns with the group. This was a great experience for me and I thought that the trip was very organized, but still loosely structured; the way any trip should be. It was a lot of fun. Towards the end of the week, we sat down and went over costs for trips. All trips include transportation, gear, and lodging. This was a great way for me to have a good time and learn the fundamentals of being a department manager or employee in this field.

Overall, this program was a great success and provided me with the opportunities of a lifetime. I was able to have fun, experience a field in which I would love to work in, gain knowledge about budgets, costs, trips, and the running of each department. I consider this one of the most important opportunities of my collegiate career. It not only instilled in me a sense of team work, but also made me feel as if I had accomplished something other than earning a degree. I learned a lot from this program and now know that I was not wrong when I stated that I knew this was where I wanted to be. I gained networking skills and created professional relationships with the individuals of each department. This gives me a foot in the door and allows me to advance in my career. This experience has taught me a lot and I am truly grateful for the individuals who were here to assist me in my internship. They will never be forgotten and I still hope to work for the company someday. I am proud of what I have accomplished and very happy to be able to say that I would do it all over again.