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AFGSC program promotes resiliency
Posted 8/1/2012
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by Kate Blais
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs
8/1/2012 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) -- Fulfilling the call to revitalize the nuclear mission in the Air Force has required Global Strike Command to take innovative approaches.
These approaches have combined commander presence, improving mission performance in all areas and a focus on improving the quality of life for Airmen.
Command officials said resiliency is about taking care of the human weapon system, a holistic approach to ensuring the force is fit to fight.
Just like an aircraft requires regular maintenance to ensure it operates correctly, the same is true for our Airmen, noted Lt. Col. Casey Sanders, AFGSC Personnel Directorate, Force Development Division chief.
"We take into consideration the human factors and have implemented a variety of programs to strengthen the force," said Sanders.
One command initiative has included bringing American300 Warrior Tours to AFGSC bases.
Robi Powers started American300 Warrior Tours in 2006 and has spent most of his time since then connecting service members with other Americans, such as extreme athletes and former military members, who've endured hardship and overcome challenges.
Lt. Gen. Jim Kowalski, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, met Powers during the Air Force Marathon in 2011. Kowalski said that during that first meeting, he and Powers discussed the challenges faced by Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen, some of who deploy to the missile complex for days at a time, or work in extreme cold and heat conditions on the flightline.
The two discussed the group bringing people who have overcome great challenges and achieved high personal goals to meet Airmen throughout AFGSC and encourage them to do the same. This led to the Air Force Global Strike Command inviting American300 Warrior Tours to its bases with a unique program called the "Never Quit" series, with the intent to strengthen the resiliency of AFGSC Airmen.
Speakers on the AFGSC "Never Quit" series have included Olympic and XGames athletes -- Sean Colgan, Dan Beery, Mike Schultz, Erin Simmons and Kurt Yaeger -- in addition to former military members such as former Army Ranger "Mad Max" Mullen, and William "Spanky" Gibson, the first above knee amputee to redeploy with his prosthetic to the fronts lines in Iraq among others. The unpaid volunteer speakers are reimbursed only for travel and lodging expenses.
"The goal of the tours we have at each base is to promote that 'never quit' attitude," Powers said. "By having people like Tom Whittaker -- the first amputee to summit Mount Everest -- share their stories, we can give Airmen hope and maybe something to relate to when they, too, face adversity," Powers said.
This is just one of several command programs underway designed to address quality of life, professional development and resiliency. Others include the Striker Vistas professional development program and the Air Force Institute of Technology's Nuclear Weapons Certification Program. |
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