We all need a wingman

By Jerry Green
440th AW PAO

As the War on Terrorism continues, the stresses of numerous deployments and hazards of war fighting are affecting Airmen and their Families in ways that can lead to drastic changes in life styles. These changes could result in pressures that are so stressful that some Airmen consider suicide as a way to solve their problems.

As of June 22, there have been 27 suicides in the Air Force for the 2010 calendar year.

With all military branches addressing the issues of suicide, the Air Force is stressing the importance of taking care of each other. The concept of having a wingman nearby began when pilots would position their aircraft close to each other in combat  protecting each other from the dangers of attack. The wingman concept is equally effective today in the daily lives of Airmen.
Recently, the Air Force used a Wingman Stand Down day to address suicides and motor vehicle fatalities. The Air Force’s top commissioned and enlisted Airmen addressed the issue of suicides in a memorandum they released announcing the stand down.

In May, the Air Force chief of staff directed a service-wide ‘Wingman Day’ to reinforce the significance and role of every Airman as mutually supportive, critical components in suicide prevention and resilience.

“The loss of any Airman is a concern for us all and demands our renewed and steady focus on preventing these tragedies,” said Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy in their joint memorandum to Airmen. “We must redouble our efforts to identify those at risk for suicide and get them the support that they need to regain hope and balance in their lives,” they wrote.

General Carrol H. “Howie” Chandler, during recent congressional testimony noted that Air Force officials have been addressing the problem with their suicide prevention program and total force resiliency program. “Airman resiliency and the Air Force Suicide Prevention Program are complementary efforts that rely on leadership engagement, immediate Family involvement and wingman support as key components, he said.

“The “ACE” program is another opportunity to address this important issue concerning our wing Airmen. As Reservists, it is more difficult to recognize behavioral or personal problems with other members of the wing since we spend only two days a month with each other, but the issue looms large when we deploy together,” said Col. John Stokes, 440th vice wing commander.

There is no substitute for Airmen knowing their subordinates and knowing coworkers well enough to recognize changes in attitude, behavior and personality, and then intervening when something is not right.

As part of a continuing awareness program, the 440th Airlift Wing leadership will supply “ACE” awareness cards to wing Airmen during the July unit training assembly.

The ACE cards stands for ask-care-escort:

Ask your wingman — directly asking a distressed wingman if he or she is having thoughts of killing him or herself.

Care for your wingman — take control of the situation; listen to a wingman and understand his or her situation; remove any items that can cause harm.

Escort your wingman — never leave your wingman alone; escort him or her to someone in the chain of command, a mental health care provider, a chaplain, or a medical care provider; call the
National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK (8255) to speak with a counselor.

There are several warning signs Airmen should be aware of if their wingman exhibits them, she said.

Lieutenant Col. Catherine A. Bobenrieth, the chief of the mental health branch at the Air Force Medical Operations Agency, in San Antonio said, “Many victims of suicide communicated their intentions in advance and thoughts of suicide generally manifest themselves in some form.”

They include:
Unusual or sudden changes in behavior
Decreased work performance
Disciplinary problems
Financial problems
Accidents or deaths of loved ones
Relationship difficulties at work and at home
Spouse and/or child abuse
Alcohol or drug misuse
Social isolation
Moodiness or irritability
Depression, feelings of hopelessness or thoughts of suicide.

To assist Airmen with information about dealing with suicide, the Air Force’s suicide prevention website is available at http://www.af.mil/suicideprevention.asp. The site features a variety of tools and links to sites about dealing with suicide.

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