Resiliency programs help McConnell community

  • Published
  • By Jennifer Johnson
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing community support coordinator
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Life throws curve balls at us all the time. Sometimes in the military, it may feel like they come faster than normal with deployments, relocations, family separations and other day-to-day stressors.

To help our military community remain resilient and even grow during uncertain times, McConnell has a new community support coordinator, created to serve as the focal point for resilience programs across the base.

In conjunction with other helping agencies at McConnell, the community support coordinator will provide guidance on various quality-of-life issues impacting Air Force personnel and their families. The goal is to help people learn how to thrive during uncertain times and to help them learn how to bend without breaking. According to the Air Force Comprehensive Airman Fitness Program, resiliency is based on the following four pillars which capture how people experience and relate to others and themselves.

· Mental - the ability to effectively cope with unique mental stressors and challenges needed to ensure mission readiness.
· Physical - the ability to adopt and sustain healthy behaviors needed to enhance health and wellbeing.
· Social - the ability to engage in healthy social networks that promote overall well-being and optimal performance.
· Spiritual - the ability to sustain an individual's sense of wellbeing and purpose through a set of spiritual beliefs, principles or values.

Numerous programs are already being offered at McConnell to help people increase their resiliency and leadership skills.

For example, Leadership Pathways is a wonderful opportunity for people to attend more than 40 courses while earning force support squadron gift cards and recognition from leadership. The classes range from couples enrichment workshops to financial wellness classes. These classes give participants the tools needed to help themselves and others.

To ensure we are focusing our efforts on what matters most to our community, the 2013 Air Force Community Assessment Survey is also underway. Active-duty members, Air National Guardsmen, Reservists, their spouses and Air Force civilian employees were randomly selected to participate in the anonymous survey. People who were selected will either receive a notification letter via their work e-mail or a postcard in the mail with a link to the Web-based survey.

By taking about 30 minutes of their time, people can have an impact on future quality-of-life programs at McConnell. The feedback the Integrated Delivery System agencies receive from the survey allows them to build programs and concentrate on the resources that matter most to McConnell's population. The survey topics include personal and family adjustment, individual and family adaptation, community well-being, deployment, resiliency, post-traumatic stress and help-seeking stigma. The IDS will be able to gain an understanding on how to improve McConnell and make it an even better place to work and live.

For more information about any of the programs, call (316) 759-3508.