An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Article Display

Taking care of our own, Wingman day is Oct. 27

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Dilia DeGrego
  • McGuire Public Affairs
McGUIRE AFB, N.J. --  Team McGuire will hold its annual Wingman Day Oct. 27. The day's events will focus on stress-related issues as well as the importance of looking out for one another. 

Wingman Day started 2004 from a Chief of Staff's sight picture focusing on the many stress factors facing Airmen today. In response, Air Mobility Command asked all bases to hold a Wingman Day before the holiday season -- often a time of high stress. 

"I believe in mission first, people always," said Col. Bill Spacy, 305th Air Mobility Wing vice commander. "Being a wingman means taking care of our people, all the time, but especially as the holiday season approaches. The holidays can be a stressful and lonely time for some. Wingman Day reminds us of the importance of caring about our Airmen and helping each other out. We want Airmen to recognize when someone is at risk and be aware of the tools available to help. Whether you're a supervisor, friend or family member, everyone needs to do their part to make sure we are taking care of our own." 

Lt. Col. John Clark, 2006 Wingman Day coordinator agreed, "The Wingman concept is 'Airmen taking care of Airmen,' looking out for each other before someone gets in trouble and taking care of them if they have been injured or are in trouble. Wingman Day brings to light the reality of things that happen in our community, reminds us of available help, and opens dialogue between Airmen so we can look out for each other." 

The day will kick off 7:30 a.m. at the base theater with a meeting for all 305th Air Mobility Wing commanders and discussion group leaders.  At 8:30 a.m. squadron commanders will hold a short commanders call, after which the squadrons will break into smaller discussion groups to discuss the topics for Wingman Day 2006. Suicide prevention, responsible drinking, culture of responsible choices, financial responsibility, domestic violence, sexual assault, safety and the effects of force shaping will be topics of discussion. The afternoon is dedicated to squadron and family time for team and morale building. 

Flying operations will be minimized as much as possible on Wingman Day.