Photo By Master Sgt. Michael Charles | Maj. Joseph Regan, 1st Special Operations Comptroller Squadron commander, speaks to...... read more read more
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The 1st Special Operations Wing implemented an Air Force Special Operations Command initiative between Sept. 15 and Oct. 6, 2022, called AFSOC Connect Day. This dedicated time allowed squadron leadership teams to deliberately discuss key topics affecting Airmen today.
“Our #1 SOF truth is that ‘Humans are more important than Hardware,’” said Col. Allison Black, 1 SOW commander. “As leaders, we need to look for every opportunity to understand what our Airmen need to thrive inside our formation. Connect Day was an opportunity to highlight the value we place in having teammates that are physically, mentally and spiritually fit to fight.”
The overarching aim of Connect Day: enable inclusive and transparent forums of communication and connectedness, giving leaders a more accurate gauge on the climate of their units and the Airmen comprising them. Supervisors can create proactive approaches to address and prevent issues specific to their work environment when they know and understand the stressors and challenges associated with their Airmen.
Maj. Joseph Regan, 1st Special Operations Comptroller Squadron commander, believes that Connect Day is a great first step in improving the mental wellness of Airmen who may be struggling to connect with those around them.
“Many of our newest Airmen that entered during a time of COVID and this is their first time away from home,” said Regan. “It’s up to us as supervisors and peers to build that sense of inclusiveness and comradery that our military family is known for. That begins with listening to and addressing issues that impact them directly.”
Connect Day is structed around three core principles: risk awareness and problem solving, isolation versus connectedness and healthy coping techniques. The 1 SOW commander empowered leaders for each unit to create an open dialogue and host events that encourage bringing the force together through meaningful engagement.
“As leaders, one of our priorities is to cultivate an environment for our Airmen to thrive,” Black said. “Feeling ‘connected’ is vital to thriving. On this specific day, I wanted each of our leaders to find unique ways to help achieve the goal of creating an environment of which our Airmen could grow, innovate and learn together.”
Throughout the time frame for Connect Day, units decided to utilize this opportunity to improve teambuilding and connectedness through sports, social lunches, scavenger hunts, and other activities.
“This is an opportunity for us to build bridges and network with each other,” said Regan. “Each activity has a singular focus and that is to feel connected and invested in one another. If we can do that, this day will have been a success.”
Connect Day is just one step of many that the Air Force has taken to continue the military tradition of camaraderie while addressing issues on Airmen’s minds.
“I hope they learned something new about a teammate in their unit, a resource that’s available to them, as well as something about themselves that fosters a sense of belonging, a sense of mission and sense of purpose,” Black said. “This philosophy doesn’t end at Connect Day. I challenge our leaders to do something each day that contributes to that vital and ongoing mission.”
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 10.09.2022 13:03 |
| Story ID: | 431024 |
| Location: | HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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