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Commentary - Fairchild taking proactive approach with resiliency

  • Published
  • By Elaine Sanchez
  • American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Nearly 750 military leaders and psychological health care experts will gathered here April 7 for the Defense Department's fourth annual Warrior Resilience Conference.

The conference's intent is to provide service members, units, families and communities with resilience-building techniques and tools that can be used "in garrison or in the field," explained U.S. Public Health Service commander. George Durgin, resilience division chief for the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, which is hosting the conference.

"Whether a soldier or Marine in the battlefield, a sailor on a ship or an airman on the flightline, the bottom line is be able to have some tools and techniques that will help them overcome an adverse event and be able to continue the mission," Durgin said. "And if they need help, we're providing the tools to understand how to reach out and find help -- that it's okay to seek help or to talk to someone."

While previous resilience conferences targeted psychological health care providers, this conference focuses on bringing resilience tools and techniques to military leaders, both officer and enlisted, Durgin said, building on last year's Total Force Fitness theme. This initiative, led by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, takes a holistic approach to resilience building, he explained.

Fairchild is taking a proactive approach when it comes to resiliency.

"We have been doing organizational visits for several months now to get the Resiliency message out there," says Lt. Commander Ken Simmet, 92nd Medical Group Mental Health Flight deputy commander and Resiliency Element chief. "We want to be a visual reminder to all our Airman that there are programs and activities available, right here on Fairchild, to help our team become more resilient."

Total Force Fitness addresses mind and body and encompasses eight domains: psychological, behavioral, social, physical, environmental, medical, spiritual and nutritional. This conference will focus on the social domain, Durgin said, which targets the individual, the family, the community and the unit.

"The social domain ... crosses and bridges all of the bonds of the service member," Durgin said. "It targets the individual connecting to the unit, connecting to the community and connecting to the family.

They picked this specific domain because it has that unique piece of unit. It provides this unique connection that we think is deserving of continuing the education process."

All of the domains, he added, are "connective pieces" in creating a holistic approach to building service members' resilience.

Officials focused their efforts on 'line' leaders for this conference, Durgin said, as they recognize Total Force Fitness will be a noncommissioned officer-led initiative.

A senior NCO at Fairchild is heading up another Resiliency initiative.

As part of an Air Mobility Command-wide initiative, Resilience Development Training is being provided to students at the First Term Airman Center.

The intent of the training is to assist Airmen in situations that will test their "resiliency," as well as their ability to bounce back from life's challenges such as work, deployments, family life and many other challenges affiliated with military life.

"I believe this training is needed because it comes down to Airmen helping Airmen," said Master Sgt. Sonyetta Charlton-Bell, Fairchild's only University of Pennsylvania, certified Master Resiliency Trainer. "When Airmen find themselves in situations that may seem hopeless or are difficult to overcome, one of the first people they may reach out to are fellow Airmen. It's important that all Fairchild Airmen receive this training so they can attain the necessary tools, skills and mental ability to overcome life's setbacks. I want this program to become a voice for our Airmen. Every time I teach this course I will think of those we lost to suicide - that's my motivation - to decrease the number of avoidable losses of our Airmen through techniques that promote 'Resiliency.'"

[Scott King, 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this article.]