feature

CSCs focus on resiliency

  • Published
  • By Air Force Materiel Command
  • Public Affairs
Amid a challenging fiscal and personnel climate, the Air Force recently created a Community Support Coordinator position at 71 Air Force installations to help Airmen and their families withstand, recover from and grow in the face of stressors and changing demands.

The position was developed to operationalize the four pillars of Comprehensive Airmen Fitness -- mental, physical, social and spiritual. In response to the follow-on report from the Fort Hood, Texas, incident in 2009 where 13 people were killed and 29 others were injured, the Air Force wanted to create a focal point for installation resilience programs.
The primary responsibilities of the CSC are to serve as the executive director of the installation Community Action Information Board, chair of the Integrated Delivery System, and act as focal point for Comprehensive Airman Fitness to include all things resilience.

The objective of the CAIB is to identify and resolve issues impacting the readiness of the Air Force members, civilians and their families. The primary focus is to promote a positive way of life while enhancing the ability to function as productive Air Force community members. Top leadership chairs the CAIB (vice commanders at Air Force and major commands; wing commanders at installation level), allowing for high visibility and the capability to maintain well-informed perspectives on a multitude of human factors affecting the Air Force environment. The IDS is the working group formed as the action arm of the CAIB. These two structures exist at the Air Force, MAJCOM and installation levels, drawing together a multidisciplinary team working in collaboration to resolve and impact readiness issues.

"I have one of the best jobs in the Air Force," said Karen Blackwell, Tinker CSC. "I not only get to market the great services and programs Tinker's Helping Agencies or IDS provide but I can bring to light and resolve community issues. In addition, I have a great team of resilience master trainers to help everyone learn new skills in coping with daily stressors."

Tinker was the first of the AFMC bases to send a team of four to Master Resilience Training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. In addtion to Ms. Blackwell, 72nd Security Forces Squadron Master Sgts. Jarrod Williford and Anthony Burleson and Robyn Crowder of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex attended the training. Tinker was also involved in a pilot Air Combat Command program, during which Carolyn Smith, Airman and Family Readiness Center, and Dr Wynell Neece, OC-ALC, received training. An additional MRT, Senior Master Sgt. Mark Rogers, 552nd Operation Support Squadron, was trained through an ACC slot.

The team will in turn train Resilience Training Assistants from each unit on a base, according to Jennifer Treat, Air Force Materiel Command's CSC. The number of RTAs trained in each unit will depend on the unit's size, though the recommended number from Air Force is four per unit.

"Installation CSCs will be a tremendous asset to Airmen and their families," Ms. Treat said. "But the RTAs serve as a familiar face, right from your own unit, trained and ready to help."

RTA training will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for three days. Days one and two will consist of resilience skills training. Day three will require the students to teach two skills to their peers and be evaulated by the instructors in order to be certified.

Training will be held Feb. 12-14, March 19-21, April 9-11, May 28-30, June 11-13, July 16-18, Aug. 13-15, Sept. 24-26, Oct. 8-10, Nov. 12-14 and Dec. 10-12.

For more information, or with any questions about resilience, call Karen Blackwell at 736-3215.