Resiliency series helps Duke Field Airmen deal with life events

  • Published
  • By Maj. Amanda Reeves
  • 919th Special Operations Wing
DUKE FIELD, Fla. --  On a typical drill weekend, members of the 919th Special Operations Wing participated in something very atypical for the Air Force Reserve – a class on successful parenting strategies.

A brainchild of the Air Force Reserve's only Resiliency Support Team, the resiliency series offers educational seminars on various topics impacting the lives of the wing’s Reserve Citizen Airmen.

“The series allows our Citizen Air Commandos to connect with our resiliency professionals through education on balancing work and life stressors,” said Jaqueline Gonzales, director of the 919th SOW’s Airman and Family Readiness Center. “They also get face time together, which helps build that relationship between the agencies and the community. Knowledge of community resources plays a big role in building resiliency and fostering understanding and support for the people who need them.”

Touching on a wide range of topics, the series teaches strategies and tools to deal with life events across the spectrum of resiliency pillars – mental, physical, social, and spiritual. Past examples have included relationship and parenting strategies, time management skills, and how to manage credit and debt.

In the beginning, the series was taught primarily by the wing’s Military Family Life Counselor and Personal Financial Counselor. The RST soon realized, though, that other resiliency partners could address additional tools and subjects. In the near future, chaplains and representatives from Preservation of the Force and Family will speak, among others.

The classes are open to every member of the 919th SOW and are held during the UTA. Not only do they help individual members with their own issues, they are also valuable training tools for the wing’s leadership teams.

“I have attended several of the classes so that as a First Sergeant I am better equipped to handle issues with my Airmen or assist other supervisors with their members,” said Senior Master Sgt. Kimberly Perez, 2nd Special Operations Squadron. “The resiliency series is a great value to our Reserve Citizen Airmen and wing.”

The classes are offered Saturday of every UTA from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the 919th Special Operations Force Support Squadron conference room.

October’s topic will be on setting and achieving goals.