Team McChord to host ‘Wingman Day’

By 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs on November 30, 2011

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash.  -- Taking care of your Wingman is fundamental in today's Air Force culture. Wingman Day, scheduled for Dec. 2, 2011, is an all-day event dedicated to reinforcing the Wingman concept.

The goal of the day is to build resilient Airmen and focus on unit health through the Resiliency Program. Resiliency is defined throughout the installation as the ability to withstand, recover and grow in the face of stressors and changing demands.

Airmen will be in their physical training gear, uniform of the day, as training begins with a mandatory Team McChord all-call in Hangar 4. The training will include 62nd Airlift Wing and 627th Air Base Group leadership discussing Wingman culture principles. They will encourage McChord personnel to get involved, stay alert and take action to protect each other.

"This is a great opportunity for us to take care of our people and create a stronger, more resilient team," said Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Warren, 62nd AW command chief. "The Wingman concept is a way of life. It's about more than one day; it is a culture of Airmen taking care of Airmen each and every day."

Following leadership remarks, the team will receive briefings from multiple agencies, including the Master Resilience Trainers. The trainers will discuss the Comprehensive Airman Fitness Program and introduce squadron resiliency trainers. The CAF program at McChord focuses on overcoming relationship, parenting and work obstacles, coping with grief and anxiety, achieving greater physical health and bolstering optimism.

According to Tech. Sgt. Monique DuBose, Team McChord Comprehensive Airmen Fitness master resilience trainer, two new initiatives will be introduced during Wingman Day: "Hunt the good stuff" and "Active constructive responding and praise."

"These initiatives focus on countering negative bias to create positive emotion and building strong relationships using praise to promote winning streaks," said DuBose.

After the all-call, teams will break out into smaller groups within their squadrons or units. Resiliency trainers from each squadron will determine which areas of the resiliency program to focus on.

"I think the resiliency training we received is invaluable and everyone should get it," said Tech. Sgt. Angelique Joiner, 62nd Operation Support Squadron master resilience trainer assistant. "I'm definitely looking forward to helping out the master resilience trainers."

Finally, the teams will break for lunch and then regroup for the Wingman Day run.

"The last Wingman Day was really helpful," said Staff Sgt. Mallory Paul, 62nd AW Protocol deputy. "I'm looking forward to hearing the new topics, especially some new information about resiliency."

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