Shaw commanders take warrior care a step further Published Sept. 2, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Daniel Phelps 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFNS) -- Airmen today face a strong challenge. The intense battle rhythm through constant deployments and reintegration after returning from those deployments causes stress physically, emotionally and psychologically, on both Airmen and their families. "Because of this, the Air Force has been showing the strains through divorce, substance abuse and suicide," said Col. Ted Uchida, the 20th Mission Support Group commander. "We cannot fail the Airmen, because failing them would mean burying them or visiting them in the hospital." Colonel Uchida brought up the point that efforts to take care of Airmen returning from deployment were not as effective as they should be, said Chaplain (Col.) Robert Cannon, the 20th Fighter Wing chaplain. When troops returned from deployment, boxes were checked and they were sent on their way. Chaplain Cannon said he felt the same way, so he and Colonel Uchida met to find a way to take care of returning Airmen and their families in a more tangible way. "Typically, a commander will outsource the human factor in caring for their troops," the chaplain said. "People will come back from deployments, and if there are issues, he will point them in the direction of support agencies. Through this, they have lost their opportunity as commanders to engage their troops." In continuing with Air Combat Command's Comprehensive Airman Fitness program, the two came up with a two-fold approach to provide Airmen with increased awareness training, Warrior Cross-Talk and safeTALK, which deal with two central issues, post-deployment reintegration and suicide prevention. "Cross-Talk was Colonel Uchida's idea as an opportunity to interact with their troops at a very human level," Chaplain Cannon said. "It also gives the chance to really take a look at how we take care of our Airmen and their families." The idea for Warrior Cross-Talk is that commanders will meet with their Airmen in small groups of no more than 15 to discuss the stressors in their lives during and after deployment, Colonel Uchida said. The discussions will be closed sessions with a facilitator and ask basic questions such as: what was the best thing about deployment, the most stressful thing about deployment and the most stressful thing about being back? Colonel Uchida started this on a small level, and the chaplain recognized that he had stumbled on something unique in the care of the commander on a relational level with his troops, Chaplain Cannon said. "The integration of the commanders using their position to engage with their folks on things that have tremendous meaning to their people make this unique, and is something that has not been done before effectively," Chaplain Cannon said. "However, this is not a group counseling session, but an opportunity to talk about shared experiences," Colonel Uchida said. "It is a proactive way for commanders to interact with their Airmen." Cross-Talk will include spouses and their children through the Child Development Center, added Colonel Uchida. "The battle rhythm not only affects Airmen, but their families as well," Chaplain Cannon said. "This has been moving for both the commanders and their troops who have sat in on these Cross-Talks and has increased awareness on several issues." The second pillar in the two-fold approach to better take care of Airmen, safeTALK, is a two-and-a-half to three-hour training session that prepares people to identify those with thoughts of suicide and to connect them with suicide first aid resources, Chaplain Cannon said. The chapel is the point-of-contact for safeTALK. When suicide investigations take place, it is often discovered that all the signs were evident that people needed help, but no one was able to identify them, the chaplain said. The program has been around, but the chapel is looking to expand safeTALK to teach it to as many people as possible, since the suicide rate in the Air Force has been creeping up, he added. People will be trained by an instructor team from a suicide intervention training company, Chaplain Cannon said. Those trained will be equipped to present safeTALK. "What we are doing here through the Warrior Cross-Talks and safeTALK can easily be exported across the Air Force," Chaplain Cannon said. "What we are doing is unique to Shaw, and is being delivered to ACC as a model process as a way to take care of Airmen and their families."