Resilience required in times of trouble

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. John Platte
  • 571st Global Mobility Squadron commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
-- Sir Winston Churchill
United Kingdom Prime Minister

As a nation at war and nearly 10 years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, an increased level of stress is the "new normal" for our military.

In addition to stress from our wartime footing, Airmen are faced with other significant stressors, such as preparing for our upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection and Unit Compliance Inspection.

How do we maintain our resiliency during such times?

"Resiliency," in terms of Comprehensive Airman Fitness, means the ability to bounce back, grow and thrive in the face of adversity.

Below are some thoughts on how to maintain resiliency under pressure, based on the four pillars of fitness: physical, mental, social and spiritual.

Physical: The new fitness Air Force Instruction is serious business, but that doesn't mean physical training must be boring. Create a culture of fun, friendly competition while emphasizing the wingman spirit and skills needed to pass the test. Avoid canceling PT due to the crisis du jour - the consequences of failing the test are more severe than rescheduling other events.

Proper nutrition and sleep are vital, but if long hours are required, a healthy snack bar and relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga can help.

Mental: Make time for issues that are important, but not urgent such as relationship building, long-range planning, etc. There are "the heart of effective personal management" per

Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." What "top three" things under your control would you fix? Organize priorities from a weekly, rather than daily, perspective.

Sometimes, feeling swamped by urgent issues, distractions and deadlines seems unavoidable, but in those situations, stay positive, do what you can, delegate or seek help. Always remember to slow down and focus on "the one thing" when safety is involved.

Social: Relationships with family, friends and co-workers can especially be strained during troubled times. Ideally, these relationships have been nurtured before a crisis, so a sense of belonging can help us weather the storm. When interpersonal conflicts arise, work quickly to resolve them with empathy, humility, clear expectations and shared values. As with other pillars, don't neglect social activities when stressors multiply.

Spiritual: Remember, no matter how stressful life may seem, "this too shall pass." Working together, we'll make it through and that will strengthen the beliefs, principles and values that sustain us. Like infants learning to walk, we may stumble and fall, but then we pick ourselves up and try again.

Our Airmen have answered a higher calling, serving our nation in its hour of need. It depends on us to pick ourselves up when we fall and try again - "with no loss of enthusiasm" as Churchill said. Resiliency is key.

Every day, I'm amazed by the selfless dedication of our all-volunteer force. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve alongside you.