MIB initiative promotes resilience '4 Teens'

by Senior Airman Brittain Crolley
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

8/7/2015 - SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C.  -- Every day brings new challenges for our Airmen, whether it's in the form of an upcoming deployment that will take them away from their family, or a hurdle at work they must overcome. Fortunately, they continue to find a way to handle this adversity through training, teamwork and wingmanship, all for the sake of progressing the mission.

However, these Airmen are not the only ones fighting the good fight. While they are busy working 12-hour shifts, on remote TDY, or deployed, their families stay steadfast at home. They too have their own adversity to deal with, but aren't necessarily provided the same training as their service members to teach them how weather difficult situations.

To help arm these family members, especially children, with the life skills needed to battle unforeseen obstacles, the base youth center partnered with Make It Better leaders and master resilience trainers to create the Make It Better 4 Teens program.

"We teach these [resilience] skills to our Airmen, teaching them how to cope," said Tech. Sgt. Stan Williams, 4th Component Maintenance Squadron jet engine mechanic and assistant MIB4T coordinator. "Well think about it, what if we started teaching those skills at a younger age to our children, so when they experience adversity they'll have some of the skills to be able to cope?"

The MIB4T team ventured out to answer that question by holding a weeklong Youth Resilience Camp Aug. 3-7 at the youth center to teach teens these valuable skills and how to live a more resilient lifestyle.

Throughout the week, children participated in a variety of events testing their mental, physical, spiritual and social resilience, identical to the Comprehensive Airman Fitness program. From challenging memory tasks to learning how to fly a kite, the group used teamwork, problem solving and other life skills to accomplish tasks.

"My favorite part was the mental games," said Hunter, a camp participant. "I know it will help me with school and memorizing stuff for tests."

With the success of the foundational camp, the MIB4T leaders said they hope to push the program curriculum forward to continue making a bigger impact in the lives of military children. Williams said they plan to conduct more events like this when children are out of school and during holiday breaks, with an ultimate goal of pushing the program Air Force-wide.

"These skills work," Williams exclaimed. "They basically saved my life and I think it's important that we pass these skills down to our younger kids so that maybe it'll help save someone else's life."

At the conclusion of the camp, the MIB4T team believed they made a lasting impact on the children who participated and set them up for a brighter future.

"These young people are literally youth wingmen," said Richard Lambert, 4th Fighter Wing community support coordinator. "They're wingmen to one another, wingmen to their families and wingmen to the community. They are our future leaders of tomorrow and we need to make sure they have the skills to succeed in the face of adversity."

Gates Meets with Fort Hood Soldiers, Family Members

By Heather Graham
Special to American Forces Press Service

Nov. 28, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with soldiers and family members here yesterday to present Purple Heart medals and get a first-hand look at issues and concerns he usually sees only on paper. Gates began his morning by joining soldiers for breakfast at the Eagle's Nest, a 4th Infantry Division dining facility. Over scrambled eggs, bacon and grits, Gates discussed Army issues with the soldiers.

After breakfast, the secretary met with 30 Army spouses representing the 4th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 13th Sustainment Command and 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment to hear their issues and concerns. The spouses were selected for the meeting based on their active roles in their units' family readiness groups, Col. Diane Battaglia, 3rd Corps public affairs officer, said.

The meeting was Gates' first with spouses, he said. "I look forward to hearing from you," he told the group before his closed-door meeting. "The nation owes each of you a great debt of gratitude."

Spouses were able to ask questions of the defense secretary during the meeting.

On most of their minds was the deployment length and cycle. "The first majority concern was how long the 15-month deployments would last," said Sheree Weller, the wife of Capt. Shane Weller, a pilot with 1st Aviation Combat Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. "He gave us a good time frame."

The spouses at the meeting said they felt the defense secretary adequately addressed and answered their concerns and questions.

"I had four questions," Mariah Murdoch, wife of Maj. Timothy Murdoch, rear-echelon commander of 1st Cavalry Division's Special Troops Battalion. "Every question was answered before I could ask." Gates addressed other concerns she had not even considered, she added.

"He talked about incentives for family members other than spouses," she said. One incentive would be the possibility of soldiers being able to pass Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits on to their children. The secretary emphasized that can't happen overnight, she noted. "He made it abundantly clear there is a lot of bureaucracy involved," she said.

Both women agreed Gates was prepared to answer their questions and concerns.

"Every question posed, he had already considered," Weller said. "I felt he was listening."

Weller again met with Gates, albeit briefly, during the 1st Cavalry Division Purple Heart and volunteer recognition ceremony following the spouses' meeting. She was honored for her volunteer efforts for the First Team.

At the ceremony, Gates presented 12 Purple Hearts to division soldiers and certificates to the volunteers.

Gates wrapped up his two-day trip to the area following the ceremony. He had been a guest of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce at a Nov. 26 dinner reception. In his speech, he addressed the progress being made in the global war on terrorism and the need for the passage of a supplemental war spending bill.

In a question-and-answer session following his speech, Gates addressed the troop surge and improved security in Iraq.

(Heather Graham is news editor for the Fort Hood Sentinel.)