Airmen focus on resiliency Published March 3, 2011 By Senior Airman Jarad A. Denton 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Across Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Airmen took time away from their normal schedules to participate in Wingman Safety Day, Feb. 28. The day consisted of resiliency training, discussions and team building exercises all focused on helping Airmen deal with adversity. "Different people handle stress in different ways," said Lt. Col. Ryan Hollman, 28th Bomb Wing director of staff. "Good resiliency is like a rubber band. It allows people to bounce back from adverse situations in their life." Airmen were taught to recognize and focus on the four pillars of resiliency during their training. These pillars: physical, mental, social and spiritual fitness, are all models that help Airmen, both at home and downrange to care for themselves and their families. "Resiliency training is not just for deployed Airmen," said Master Sgt. Tina McFadden, 28th Bomb Wing and Comptroller Squadron first sergeant. "It's for all of us. We need to take care of ourselves by preparing financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually." To better equip Airmen with the tools they need to maintain resiliency in their lives, Colonel Hollman revealed the four secrets of resilient Airmen: · They have a good network of friends and family · They take responsibility for their actions · They maintain positive and empowering attitudes · They bounce back from adversity, move ahead and push forward "The people who are successful in life tend to have both short-and long-term goals," he said. By having those goals, Colonel Hollman said Airmen can be better prepared to deal with the struggles they face in life. "There is no end to the roadblocks we face in life," said Senior Master Sgt. Brian Cerney, 28th CPTS superintendent. "If Airmen wake up each day with a positive attitude, however, and learn to reach out when they need help -- it can go a long way to improve their overall quality of their life."