ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- In a concerted effort to revitalize the squadron and make resilience a normal part of unit personnel’s everyday lives, the 461st Maintenance Squadron, commanded by Lt. Col. Frederick Jackson, along with the 116th MXS, commanded by Maj. William Prescott, decided that resilience was important enough to address in a more intentional way.
“The feedback we received from the Resiliency Tactical Pause was that Airmen thought it would be a ‘one-and-done’ event,” said Jackson, “so we took that and dedicated an entire week to this effort.”
Team MXS’s Master Sgt. Brandy Alston crafted a Resiliency Week in December 2019, where her team of six Master Resilience Trainers and Integrated Resilience Training Assistants, took on the important task of selecting course material, organizing, and conducting a total of 12 classes for 101 Active Duty and Air National Guardsmen throughout the week.
The 4-hour small group sessions were designed to integrate Airmen from various sections throughout the squadrons and allow them to engage in meaningful dialogue about real life issues. These individuals then applied the resilience skills to these issues and determined if their response to the situation was effective. If the responses were not effective, they communicated how they could better handle similar situations in the future using what they’ve learned.
Feedback completed by the Airmen after the week showed that the training was a step in the right direction, claiming that the training made them reflect on where their strengths in life are and that the training atmosphere and information was some of the best the Airmen had received in their careers.
The curriculum for junior Airmen focused on skill sets such as: look for the good, bring your strengths, and value-based goals. The upper enlisted tiers focused on skills such as: reframe, balance your thinking, and celebrate good news. These tools help Airmen self-evaluate and identify what they need to build resiliency.
Team MXS is developing more resilience events in the future that will build off what they learned from their December Resiliency Tactical Pause in order to develop more resilient Airmen to advance the Force’s mission. The next week is planned for March 2020.