Westover to hold safety down day

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman George Cloutier
  • 439th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --  As part of a larger effort to combat safety issues facing the Air Force, Westover will participate in the Wingman Stand Down 2010 during the June UTA.

     For a half day during the UTA, Airmen will 'stand down' and learn strategies to prevent suicides and private motor vehicle accidents.

     In a jointly signed letter, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy noted an increase in suicides and motor vehicle accidents throughout the Air Force community as reasons for the stand down.

     Already in 2010, one Westover Airman was seriously injured as a result of a vehicle accident and there were two motorcycle mishaps, according to Ms. Thomasina Murphy-Mayo with the 439th Airlift Wing safety office.

     In addition to these accidents, the Westover community recently lost one of its own to suicide.

     Chief Master Sgt. Zigmund Skawski, 439th Airlift Wing command chief, said that letting our people down is simply unacceptable. Taking care of our people, along with getting the mission done, are an Airman's two top priorities. Failing at either one of these is a failure for the Air Force.

     "We have to be good wingmen for each other," the chief said. "All too often we get caught up in the moment. We need to stop and think - is this going to hurt me, or hurt somebody else? This is something that needs to get instilled in all our Airmen now."

     The Air Force's focal point for the stand down will be to "reenergize the wingman concept," which is the foundational approach to suicide prevention and unit safety.

     "What this is all about is reinvigorating Airman-to-Airmen safety," said Lt. Col. Mike Smith, Westover's Safety Officer. "We want to promote Airmen looking after Airmen to create a safe and healthy environment; when they're here and when they're at home."

     The colonel and the chief agree that much of the focus of the stand down gets back to the wingman concept. The wingman concept is part of the Air Force flying culture and dates back to the earliest days of aerial combat.

     The stand down is scheduled to include unit commander comments, video presentations on safety and suicide prevention, guided small-group discussions, wingman card distribution and asking Airmen to personally identify their wingman.

     Major commands will be sending guidelines and plans about how to implement Wingman Stand Down 2010 to their respective subordinate units.

     "Stay alert, and be safe," said the command chief.