Commentary: Building Airmen Resiliency

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Beau Jones
  • 100th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron First Sergeant
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  I recently attended the Air Force Sergeant Association's Professional Airmen's Conference. One of the main focuses of the conference was building Airmen's resiliency. Nearly every speaker touched on the subject.

What is resiliency and why is it important to us? Resiliency is our ability to adapt and overcome traumas or stressful events. It also includes the ability to bounce back to the norm after a disruption. Considering the high ops tempo of our expeditionary Air Force this is a key concern for us today and tomorrow.

Low resiliency can lead to depression, burnout and even suicide. According to an independent DoD task force report dated Aug. 26, 2010, "from 2005 to 2009 more than 1,100 members of the U.S. Armed Forces took their own lives -- an average of  one suicide every 36 hours during the five-year period."

The report attributes the increased rates to "unprecedented demands" that have been levied on the U.S. Armed Forces and their families since 2002. So you can see why building resiliency is vital to the success of our Airmen and Air Force.

During the conference we had the honor of having seven former Chief Master Sergeants of the Air Force on a panel. The eighth CMSAF Sam E. Parish focused on building resiliency he stated "resiliency is built on a strong foundation of trust ... " He went on to say "trust is built over time by showing a deep concern for your Airmen and really getting to know them. We must develop Airmen that are strong in mind, body and spirit."

CMSAF Roy talked about Deployment Transition Centers  that have recently opened and how their goal is to keep Airmen's adrenaline high and bring it down slowly. This gradual return is a key step in developing resiliency. Currently these DTC's focus on Airmen who perform duties "outside the wire" but will likely broaden to everyone returning from hostile environments.

If your Airmen trust you and feel that you have their best interest at heart they will be far more likely to share problems with you before they get out of hand. Look for the signs of distress and talk openly about help that is available -- supervisors, chaplains, first sergeants, mental health, and military and family life consultants.

Each avenue of assistance brings something different to the table, but all have the same goal; getting the individual back to being the most productive they can be. Less than 1 percent of all mental health referrals have lasting career impacts. Often the first outreach for help is far more difficult than actually getting the help you need.

Strong relationships are another foundation for building resiliency. They provide a safety net and make it much easier to reach out for help. Chances are many of your friends, family and coworkers have gone through similar issues before. When problems arise, it's a relief to know you have people to lean on. Both our immediate families and our Air Force families play vital roles in our everyday lives.

Physical fitness also plays a huge role on your ability to cope with stress and bounce back from stressful events.

Being fit lays the ground-work for your foundations to be built on. Working out is also a great stress reliever in itself. It also helps release tension and stress and keeps your immune system from being run down. The fitter you are, the more likely you are to bounce back from a stressful event.

To keep your mind sharp, take time out and do activities to relax you whatever they may be. It could be golfing, playing poker, video games, traveling or even shopping. Everyone is different so whatever takes your mind off the daily grind or the deployment you returned from makes them work for you. Most of these activities can be combined to help build your relationships and your fitness at the same time.

Building resiliency in our Airmen is paramount. We can't afford to lose even one more.

Our missions and our ops tempo are not likely to lesson anytime soon. Take the time and invest in all the Airmen are entrusted to you. Start with building a foundation of trust and ensure your Airmen are healthy in mind body and spirit. Continue the development over time, there is no checklist to run. The future of our Air Force and its Airmen depends upon it.