Photo By Dylan Smith | U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class MacKenzie Marti speaks with Peak Performance...... read more read more
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By Randy Roughton
U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – At the U.S. Air Force Academy, cadets have tools available to help them reach their full potential as future officers. The Peak Performance Center offers a range of holistic services focused on performance optimization and leadership development. To ensure ease of accessibility, center staff members are embedded in each cadet group with offices in each dormitory.
The center’s staff of clinical psychologists and social workers and mental health technicians emphasize the emotional and mental skills that are critical for effective leadership and sustained performance under pressure.
“The Peak Performance Center offers a wealth of services that cadets can access in person every day,” said Cadet 1st Class Hunter Smith, an Aeronautical Engineering major and a personal ethics and education representative or PEER cadet. PEERs are a vetted and trained volunteer force that can talk to fellow cadets about Academy life and guide them to appropriate helping agencies and resources. Smith also benefitted personally from Peak Performance Center services.
“I got information and advice on topics such as how to better handle day-to-day stressors, proper sleep hygiene and even deal with grief or loss,” Smith said. “Thanks to the help of the Peak Performance Center, I have been able to work through some incredibly difficult times here at the Academy and stay on track to not only graduate on time with my top pick for jobs but head to graduate school next year. I’m thankful I can help others through my role as a PEER.”
The Peak Performance Center has existed at the Academy in various iterations since 1958, said Director Lt. Col. Kristene Harris. The staff directly support the Academy’s priorities of developing leaders of character, critical thinkers and winning warfighters, Harris said.
“The Peak Performance Center places leadership and character development at the forefront of our service,” Harris said. “One of the core features of leadership development that we emphasize is fostering critical and analytical decision-making skills. From a character development perspective, the PPC is dedicated to optimizing psychological resilience, emotional intelligence and enhancing personal growth. These connective elements drive the priority to produce warfighters to win. Warfighters need mental agility, critical thinking and prioritization skills to achieve the mission.”
The Peak Performance Center helps cadets navigate personal issues and stressors. This approach helps cadets effectively manage their rigorous military, academic and athletic responsibilities, said Dr. Todd Neu, chief of psychological health.
The center’s coaching services’ central tenet is empowering cadets to formulate solutions and build a plan of action. Coaching differs from traditional mental health services because it focuses on “untapped potential and uncovering capabilities,” Neu said. Cadets receive guidance on topics ranging from managing sadness and nervousness to fostering healthy relationships and coping with grief or loss.
“Examples of where coaching is helpful in the development of healthy stress management techniques are effective study skills, sleep optimization and building strong relationship communication skills,” Neu said.
Performance enhancement resembles sports psychology where cadets receive tailored techniques to improve mental focus, build confidence and manage stress in high-stakes situations. Peak Performance Center staff teach cadets techniques such as visualization, goal setting and a warrior mindset to enhance individual and team performance. These strategies prepare cadets for major stressors such as physical fitness tests and academic challenges.
“The center plays a pivotal role in shaping well-rounded cadets who will excel in all dimensions of their personal professional lives,” Neu said. “By addressing the mental, physical and emotional aspects of performance, the center ensures that cadets are mission-ready and capable of leading with confidence and resilience.”
The center’s leadership development training extends beyond traditional methods by integrating emotional intelligence and team dynamics. Cadets learn to lead effectively by understanding how to inspire and motivate others, communicate under pressure and make sound decisions in challenging situations. The staff collaborates with Academy programs to enhance group cohesion and communication skills, ensuring that cadets are prepared to lead diverse teams effectively.
Cadets who use Peak Performance Center services often report improved focus, greater resilience and enhanced confidence in their capabilities. Benefits from services such as virtual reality swimming directly lead to improved academic and athletic achievement as well as military readiness. The center’s cutting-edge programs reflect the services’ commitment to developing officers who excel academically, emotionally, mentally and physically.
To schedule an appointment, cadets can call (719) 333-2107 or send their Cadet Group representative a Teams message.
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.18.2024 10:12 |
| Story ID: | 487785 |
| Location: | U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The Peak Performance Center: fostering strong mental health, by Stephen Roughton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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