Photo By Senior Airman Marcus Taylor | U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Nicolas Lakey, 374th Force Support Squadron community...... read more read more
Like many services specialists arriving at a new base, U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Nicolas Lakey expected to work at either the dining facility or fitness center at Yokota Air Base. He was happy to be going back to what he was familiar with, but he would miss the challenge his previous installation had offered him as an airman dorm leader.
However, when he arrived at Yokota Air Base he was informed that he would be working for the 374th Force Support Squadron’s Unite program. He was excited and geared for the challenges this position would offer, but he did have one question: what is the Unite program?
“I had never heard of it prior to Yokota Air Base,” Lakey said. “I had an idea of what it would be, but I didn’t really have context for what my day to day would be. I just knew I would be working with squadrons and coordinating events. I just didn’t realize how massive the scope of the program would be.”
The Unite program was established by the Air Force Services Center to provide squadron commanders with the resources to facilitate unit cohesion, team building and morale. The program also provides commanders with funding for programs that will benefit all Airmen in their unit.
“As the community programs and planning technician, I help coordinate and advise squadrons on morale events,” Lakey said. “Once my higher leadership approves the request, I go about making purchases for the event. I’ll also act as an advisor for the event. Whether it’s a burger burn or a day at the bowling alley, I make sure no detail is overlooked.”
The Unite program focuses almost entirely on team building and group activities. Many of the events and activities funded by Unite emphasize the importance of team building, helping to revitalize squadrons. It also allows personnel to step away from their regular duties and decompress.
“We bring morale specifically to the squadrons,” Lakey said. “Our events help troops take a step away from work and destress a little bit. It’s such an awesome feeling being able to positively impact their lives. It’s a huge blessing for me to be here and an amazing opportunity to serve. Providing morale to our squadrons and helping them build resilience is huge for me.”
The Unite program has provided Lakey just the challenge he’s needed. Having to coordinate events for 51 different units and establishing working relationships with several recreational services has grown him into a strong leader and valuable asset for Unite. Even though he had no idea what the program was only 9 months ago, he now wants it to succeed.
“The Unite program is only successful when squadrons utilize us,” Lakey said. “If our funds are not used, there’s a chance we may not even have a Unite program at all. So please utilize us. Allow us to get you out of work to build morale and decompress.”
| Date Taken: | 10.22.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.26.2021 23:11 |
| Story ID: | 408074 |
| Location: | JP |
| Web Views: | 142 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Unite: Funding Morale, by SrA Marcus Taylor, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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