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Wingman Day activities a ‘total success’

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. David Parr
  • 72nd Operations Support Squadron Commander
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE --  The Wingman Day planners at Tinker said this year's event was one of the most successful Wingman Day programs ever held here.
   According to Michelle Loughlin, Tinker's wingman focus "is all about taking care of each other and knowing that someone is there for you in a time of need."
   Tinker's main activities occurred on Nov. 9, where more than 500 Airmen filled the Tinker Theater to listen to a DUI Victim Impact Panel. During the panel, two volunteers spoke for 20 minutes about losing a loved one as a result of a drinking and driving incident. The panel was very well-received and many in attendance were brought to tears at the conclusion of the session.
   "You always think it's not going to happen to you, but this event showed how a death by an impaired driver impacts hundreds of people when you count friends, the victims, the guilty party, the first responders and many others," said 2nd Lt. Joseph Ferrante, 72nd Operations Support Squadron Airman who was at the theater.
   The victim panel was a great way to start Wingman Day in that it had a tremendous impact on everyone there. Those who were present can now recognize that the best wingmen are those individuals who prevent tragedies by taking the keys from a drunk driver.
   Following the panel, Tinker hosted retired Lt. Col. Lee "Buddy" Archer, Tuskegee Airmen's only World War II ace, having logged five confirmed enemy kills in the air and up to six others on the ground.
   Colonel Archer, at age 88, stood on stage for one-and-a-half hours, sharing with the audience a glimpse of his life and what he learned from his experiences that began in a segregated Air Force.
   Colonel Archer told how important it is to have a wingman you can count on in the air and on the ground. A wingman must always be there to help out their partner and Tinker could have found no better key-note speaker than Colonel Archer.
   The Air Force is extremely grateful for Colonel Archer volunteering his time and sharing his knowledge in the importance of having a wingman. After giving so much to the Air Force, he still feels as if he owes so much more.
   Following his presentation, Colonel Archer visited the Hollywood and Vine area in Bldg. 3001. There, he met with another 2,000 Tinker employees and signed autographs. While still at Hollywood and Vine, the Integrated Delivery System, also known as the Tinker Care Network, set up 12 booths to provide information about the helping agencies available at Tinker.
   "Every helping agency from Mental Health to the Chapel Office, and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Reduction office was present to speak to members of Tinker about their available services," said Ms. Loughlin.
   As an added bonus, the 72nd Services Squadron provided free ice cream to Tinker members after they had visited the helping agency booths.
   "We should all be wingmen everyday," Ms. Loughlin said. "But it is great when leadership authorizes a special day to really focus on how we can better help our co-workers and friends as wingmen."
   It turns out November is the perfect month to focus on being a better wingman, especially with the holiday season. Many can use a strong wingman over the holidays, especially those separated from friends and family. Tinker Wingman Day activities, according to those who participated, were hailed as "total successes."
   The Wingman Day planners want to specifically thank Services, the IDS, the Victim Impact panel volunteers and Colonel Archer for reminding us how important being a great wingman really is.