Airmen must care for one another

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Timothy Boyer
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Airmen will partake in Wingman Day activities Monday and Tuesday with an emphasis on the social pillar of Comprehensive Airman Fitness.

People seem to think of the social pillar as doing things with other people, becoming a stronger unit and having a positive social life off-duty. However, it is more than just that. Along with having an increased morale and a great social life, the social pillar has a strong emphasis on safety and wingmanship during all activities. One aspect of this safety is bystander intervention.

Bystander intervention training is a one-time required course for service members. The lessons learned from the training require a lifetime of action. It is not enough to simply meet the Air Force requirement; we must implement what was gained into our everyday lives.

It is understandable that the subjects of harassment, inappropriateness in the workplace and sexual assault are uncomfortable - many have experienced one or more of these in some form. The value of BIT is that it lends Airmen the opportunity to think and talk through scenarios before they actually experience one, with the hope that they would then implement the plan they came up with in the real-life scenario.

The reason BIT is so important is the same reason safety training is important for mechanics. If you were to get hydraulic fluid in your eyes, you automatically go to the eyewash station to rinse them out. Why? Because that is what you were trained to do.
If you are at a party, club or friend's house, and you see someone trying to take advantage of that drunken girl or guy, you intervene. Why? Because that is what you are trained to do.

Being a good wingman is more than giving someone a ride home because they had a drink. It is about holding each other accountable, even when it might make you unpopular.
The Air Force core values of integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do demand of us to live to a higher standard on-and-off duty.

There is no integrity first if you do not do the right thing, intervene, even when no one is looking. There is no excellence in allowing someone to be taken advantage of. And, there is no service before self if you do not intervene because you fear rejection or persecution for it.

The deadline to take the required bystander intervention training is June 30. To register, call the Travis AFB Secual Assault Prevention and Response office at 424-1105 or 424-1098.