Services Airmen work to improve quality of life

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Shaun Emery
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Long hours and long days fill the four months or more many Airmen spend deployed here, so a good quality of life is an integral part of mission success, said Maj. Brian Eddy, 332nd Expeditionary Services Squadron commander.

The squadron’s goal is to contribute to the readiness and improved productivity of Airmen here through programs promoting fitness and esprit de corps. Services Airmen focus on caring and feeding people here to ensure the warfighting machine is properly tuned, Major Eddy said.

“The human warfighting machine is a weapon system just like an aircraft, and if it’s not properly cared for it will break down,” he said.

To boost morale, the squadron’s Airmen make every effort to ensure everyone has the tools they need to accomplish the mission, whether it is through lodging, recreation, fitness, access to the media center or the education office.

“One of the most important morale boosters is food,” Major Eddy said. “There is an old saying that an Army moves on its stomach, and that’s still true today. We would see a difference here … if folks were still eating (Meals, Ready to Eat).

“Another booster is fitness,” he said. “Most folks find deployments as an opportune time to improve their fitness. As we know, fitness helps improve metabolism, but also how we feel about ourselves. Both help in overall morale.”

Services programs would not be available if not for the Airmen and contractors who work every day to keep them going.

“Each and every one of my team works hard to ensure the Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors (here) are cared for,” Major Eddy said. “They spend countless hours trying to improve the programs in all of their facilities to provide a better product in the hopes of providing outlets to help the time pass quickly, while at the same time keeping everyone motivated.”

The services program here is good, the commander said, but he said he wants Airmen to know that the 332nd ESVS is always looking to do more.

“We are always looking for opportunities to improve our support,” he said. “While sometimes this environment makes it difficult to acquire assets, we will work to meet the request of our patrons to help improve the overall morale of Balad Airmen.”