2007 year of 'PACAF Resilient Warrior'

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Thomas Czerwinski
  • Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFNEWS) --  The commander of Pacific Air Forces has designated 2007 as the year of the "PACAF Resilient Warrior."

The PACAF Resilient Warrior initiative is a 12-month campaign focusing on 11 critical attributes of success designed to enhance pride in Airmen, build resilience and reinforce responsible decision-making, explained Gen. Paul V. Hester.

Each month in 2007, beginning in February, a different attribute of success will be highlighted.

"Our Airmen face increasing challenges today due to force shaping, high ops tempo and frequent deployments. Resilience is the process of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially highly stressful or traumatic events," General Hester said. "Resilient Airmen are able to overcome adversity, bounce back positively from setbacks and cope well with stress without acting in dysfunctional or harmful ways."

The initiative will be marketed through various internalinformation outlets, including commander's calls, Air Force News broadcasts, wing stand-ups and base newspapers, said Col. Daniel Wyman, PACAF command surgeon.

Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the world has become an ever-changing place for Americans, especially for those in uniform, their families and Department of Defense employees.

"We all must think quickly and decisively in efforts to accomplish the mission," Colonel Wyman said. "The PACAF Resilient Warrior is an over-arching initiative utilizing core values and providing a path to attributes that Airmen need to be successful."

The program will lay the foundation for programs designed to motivate airmen to act responsibly, take care of themselves and each other, and be prepared for deployment, Colonel Wyman said.

The success of the PACAF Resilient Warrior initiative will be measured by decreasing numbers of mal-adaptive behaviors such as suicides, domestic violence, alcohol abuse and assault.

"When Airmen are talking about challenges in their lives and have a way to meet those challenges they are less likely to fall into harmful destructive behaviors," Colonel Wyman said.

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