Integrity, service, excellence retreat fosters Airman resiliency

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kirsten Wicker
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Thirty active duty and Air National Guard Airmen from Eielson and Clear Air Force Station attended a day-long retreat hosted by the Eielson chapel staff, mental health team and Integrated Delivery System members Feb. 6 at Iceman Falls.

The retreat provided Airmen with interactive discussion, exercises and team-building activities to encourage personal and professional growth and development.

The day began with breakfast prepared by the mental health team and an icebreaker activity. The Airmen next had an opportunity to discuss the virtues of being thankful and to learn about what it means to have spiritual fitness, even if a religion is not involved. 

"We have an obligation and a responsibility to take care of Airmen," said Chaplain (Capt.) Angeles De Leon, a 354th FW chaplain. "Our goal is to provide them with the tools and resources to bounce back from any hardship they may encounter at home or in their work center."

The Airmen participated in a team building exercise in which they had to guide one another through a "mine field" of golf balls and solo cups while blindfolded. The game encouraged Airmen to communicate well and to listen to each other in order to make it through the field without stepping on any "explosives."

"The idea is to teach them how difficult communication can be sometimes and how important it is to be a clear speaker as well as a good listener," said Chaplain (Capt.) Philip Vincent, a 354th FW chaplain. "It is challenging to talk someone through a simulated mine field when they can't see anything, just as it can be challenging to communicate with someone in a work center."

Later in the day, Airmen discussed and learned about relationship dynamics they can apply to their personal lives and work relationships, and continued learning more about healthy communication.

"The messages are very relatable," said Senior Airman Devon Paulino, a 354th Comptroller Squadron financial services technician. "The chaplains and volunteer instructors are giving us ways to make our communication better because mistakes happen all the time. We are learning how to identify miscommunication and fix the issues that come up before it becomes too large to handle."

Following lunch, Airmen had the option to participate in bowling at Arctic Lanes or to hang out in the Icebox and play board games or watch movies.

"We have the best Airmen in the world in this Air Force," De Leon said. "We care so much for them that providing a retreat like this can only help to make them stronger and more resilient to life's challenges."