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R4R helping Airmen stay resilient through Outdoor Rec

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sean Campbell
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Outdoor Recreation “is in the business of making people’s vacations,” but it is also in the business of helping people with resilience, social interaction and experiencing the local area’s great outdoors.

Outdoor Recreation offers more than 250 trips a year at a small charge to Airmen and their families because of the “Recharge for Resiliency” program. The R4R program provides supplemental funding to programs that help with resilience, retention and recruitment.

“The Air Force came up with this phenomenal supplemental funding program based on research on returning deployers,” said Damien Smith, 92nd Force Support Squadron Outdoor Recreation director. “The Air Force said we needed a program for resilience, for retention, recruitment and a program that is going to help deescalate high-adrenaline combat zone types of emotion.”

Prior to the Outdoor Recreation program, returning deployers faced issues with suicide and depression without safe high-adrenaline, high-risk activities. The Outdoor Recreation program is able to offer many activities to assist in coping with returning home, said Smith.

Outdoor Recreation provides activities likerock climbing, cycling, scuba diving, sky diving, skiing, rafting and many others for Airmen and their families. .

“I think Fairchild's Outdoor Recreation Program is absolutely amazing,” said Senior Airman Max Dunevant, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander support staff. “The staff members are motivated, determined to make the programs work and dedicated to ensure everyone's safety. Our Outdoor Recreation program is something everyone should check out and utilize. The trips are affordable, well organized and a down-right exhilarating time.”

For more information on getting involved with Outdoor Recreation program and what they provide call (509) 247-5104 or check out their website: http://www.fairchildfun.com/oap.html