Photo By Senior Airman Renee Nicole Finona | U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Ashley Umstead, 494th Fighter Generation Squadron first...... read more read more
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U.S. Airmen from the 48th Component Maintenance Squadron hosted a Supporting Women In Maintenance, or SWIM, professional development event Aug. 4, 2023, at RAF Lakenheath, England.
This was a part of a new quarterly PDE series initiated by SWIM, a grassroots movement championed by 48th Maintenance Group Airmen, as an educational platform to gain insight on the obstacles surrounding the career field and interests of female Airmen.
The theme for this event was “Difficult Conversations” and was designed to educate attendees on existing barriers, navigating emotional responses and advocating for yourself as a woman in maintenance.
“Our goal is to educate and develop Airmen and leaders of all ranks about the challenges affecting our female maintainers as well as build community and a network of connection, support and mentorship,” said Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Hungerford, 48th CMS hydraulic noncommissioned officer in charge.
The event started with an equal opportunity brief on conflict management, was followed by a scenario-based activity and finished with a leadership panel Q&A session.
Some of the topics addressed during the panel included managing emotions during feedback sessions, military bearing in a professional environment and techniques for having difficult conversations with the opposite gender.
SWIM itself was formed in response to positive feedback following an event held earlier this year, which covered similar topics.
“In honor of Women’s History Month, the 48th MXG hosted an event in March of 2023 … focused on what it was like to be a woman in the MXG,” said Lt. Col. Allison Barkalow, 48th Munitions Squadron commander. “The reaction from participants and attendees was incredibly positive and encouraged future events. From there, we held recurring meetings to determine how to move forward, and SWIM was born.”
Volunteers have been meeting monthly to discuss topics they’d like presented, how to grow SWIM to provide better support and connection across the MXG and plan quarterly events.
”On a rotational basis, one MXG squadron is responsible for a quarterly SWIM PDE,” Barkalow said. “Rotating PDE responsibility does three things: solidifies the MXG’s buy-in to the grassroots initiative supporting its Airmen, avoids burnout of the same individuals for planning every PDE, and increases the chance that SWIM will last beyond PCSs of those individuals who championed the movement.”
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.08.2023 08:56 |
| Story ID: | 450904 |
| Location: | RAF LAKENHEATH, SUFFOLK, GB |
| Web Views: | 169 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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