RAF MILDENHALL, England -- I wanted to write an article about the wingman concept, so I surfed the Web for a little background and a couple of quotes. Imagine my surprise when Google returned multiple pages of links ... almost all concerned with taking care of your buddy when he’s trying to pick up a girl in a bar. I’ll admit that at first I was amused (hey, I’m human), but I have to say it’s a sad lament on the state of modern civil society. 

I’m not trying to say that the wingman concept doesn’t exist outside the Air Force. Most of us have had wingmen all of our lives — either good friends or relatives — who watched our backs, helped calibrate our moral compass, and offered assistance during the tough times. 

Today, as an Air Force officer, I have wingmen outside the military.
Naturally, Tracey is my most important wingman, and her support, encouragement, and honest feedback mean a great deal to me. My children are wingmen as well. The parents reading this will agree that even the toughest day gets a little easier when you come through the door and are greeted by your kids. 

So yes, we have wingmen outside the Air Force, but the concept isn’t as strongly ingrained in civil society as it is in any of the military services. 

As an institutional example, I’ll bet you couldn’t find a Fortune 500 company that could tell you the suicide rate for its employees, or the off-duty accident rate. There’s simply a stark dividing line between the health and welfare of the employee while on duty and their welfare “off the clock.” 

In the military, we’re never off the clock, and we expend a great deal of energy and resources to take care of our people. We’ve developed safety programs, cultural awareness programs, responsible drinking programs, and a host of other initiatives intended to help Airmen deal with the stresses of military life and make the right choices to ensure a safe, successful, happy career. 

The most important initiative, however, is one that’s practiced at the individual level. When we act as wingmen to others, we’re honoring a tradition that began with the earliest aviators. 

The wingman concept isn’t found only in the fighter community. Mobility aircraft fly in formation to increase the amount of fuel available for offload and to increase the number of troops that can be dropped on a drop zone in a given time. The lead aircraft can count on his or her wingman to help keep the formation on course, and to take over if lead runs into trouble. 

Our role as wingmen is crucial to the health and welfare of our Air Force.
By watching each other and helping to keep each other “on course,” and by sharing the burden when friends run into tough times, we help others cope with the demands of our busy lifestyle. 

In turn, we receive the same assistance from our own wingmen. As far as I’m concerned, we’re blessed to serve in an institution permeated by the wingman culture.
Together, we can make sure no one ever feels isolated and alone in our Air Force.