Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Donna Davis | Sgt. Jordan Besaw of Mesa, Ariz., a Black Hawk crew chief with Task Force Wolfpack,...... read more read more
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KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The “Redhawks,” a Black Hawk flight company with Task Force Wolfpack on Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, is on a special mission together.
The company of more than 30 soldiers has come together to motivate one another and provide support for 10 soldiers who have agreed to stop using tobacco.
Each soldier, specialist through staff sergeant, picked a “quit date” that means something to him.
“Attaching a quit date to a date that is already important simply adds to the level of commitment,” said U.S. Army Pvt. Timothy Eldridge of Houston, Texas, a mental health technician with Task Force Poseidon. “Part of selecting a quit date is telling everyone around you that this is the day that you quit.”
Participating in a group sometimes helps everyone hold each other accountable, using peer pressure as a motivational tool to quit and then stay off tobacco.
“There’s strength in knowing someone is going through the same thing as you,” said Eldridge.
It all started when Sgt. Jordon Besaw, of Mesa, Ariz., a Black Hawk crew chief, returned from rest and recuperation leave and decided he wanted to quit smoking. Besaw mentioned it to other soldiers in his company who chose to join him.
“I think our company works really good with each other,” said Besaw. “If we are all on the same page we all know what is going on and can help each other.”
Company 1st Sgt. Jason Friedly was the first to begin the program. With a quit date of early March in preparation for his rest and recuperation, his soldiers are following suit.
Every two weeks, a different soldier begins the smoking cessation program. Once he starts, he’ll be taken off flight status due to the medication.
That means the company will have to do more with less. With the balancing act of continuing missions, soldiers going on rest and recuperation, and the soldiers participating in the smoking cessation program, everyone will have to pull together.
Second platoon sergeant Sgt. 1st Class Michael Nettles said Besaw is the kind of guy who leads by example.
“Leadership is not just who, what, when and where. It’s taking care of individuals personally,” said Nettles of Jacksonville, Fla. “When someone takes the initiative, to not just do it for themselves but to help others, that is a great leadership trait.”
For the Redhawks, working together to motivate each other is nothing new. They have a difficult and often-changing flight schedule. The soldiers already push each other to conduct physical fitness, and Nettles says they’ll do the same to quit tobacco products.
“I think overall, it just shows the great camaraderie, especially in the most difficult of situations,” said Nettles. “I guarantee if you can quit negative habits in combat, you’re a very strong individual. I have a whole group of strong individuals, but they work better as a team.”
Each soldier has his own reason for quitting.
Black Hawk crew chief Spc. Thomas Kealy of Shelton, Wash., who chews tobacco, said he decided to join the program because his grandfather has health problems from using tobacco. For Kealy, that’s enough to make him want to quit.
“My grandfather dipped most of his life, has had three heart attacks and has had other health issues related to dipping,” said Kealy. “My grandfather said it’s good I want to stop chewing tobacco.”
Capt. Charles Jennings of Pryor, Okla., an aeromedical physician assistant with Task Force Poseidon, said soldiers have to want to quit smoking if they’re going to succeed.
“Stick with it [smoking], and you’re going to have medical issues like high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema,” said Jennings. “Your medical bills will be astronomical.”
To learn more about quitting, strategies or to get help, visit the Department of Defense Tobacco Cessation website at: www.ucanquit2.org.
| Date Taken: | 02.24.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.27.2012 04:51 |
| Story ID: | 84377 |
| Location: | FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, AF |
| Web Views: | 137 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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