Team BLAZE refocuses on resiliency

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Chase Hedrick
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  The 14th Flying Training Wing stood down Jan. 25 to focus on Comprehensive Airmen Fitness and resiliency for all Airmen.

The Air Force-wide stand down was ordered Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff and Chief Master Sgt. James Roy, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force in response to the loss of several Airmen to suicide since the beginning of the year.

The short-notice BLAZE Day 2012 brought Airmen of all types, officers, enlisted, and civilians, together for wing-wide events and squadron commander discretionary time. The events focused on the four aspects of Comprehensive Airmen Fitness; physical, mental, spiritual and social.

After a pancake breakfast for the single and geo-single Team BLAZE members the wing gathered in Hangar 3 for a BLAZE All Call to explain the reasons behind the day, importance of the events and to hear additional short-notice announcements.

Afterwards Team BLAZE was off to the race course. A Fun Run/Walk led the wing around the flight line and focused on the physical aspect of resiliency. Inside the Fitness Center at the end of the course the message of taking care of one's body was further reinforced by booths set up by base agencies such as the Health and Wellness Center and Fitness Center offering free items and information on how they can help.

Squadron commanders were then able to lead their squadrons through a series of resiliency case studies and their own on or off-sites to focus on what their individual squadrons needed. The on and off-sites ranged from group discussions on personal resilience to learning about the resilience of others through difficult times in history.

After on or off-site squadron time, Airmen had the opportunity to attend sessions on topics ranging from "What Colors are your M&M's" to "Managing Finances" given by members of support agencies on base who combined covered physical, spiritual, and mental aspects of Comprehensive Airman Fitness.

A final BLAZE All Call brought Airmen together back at Hangar 3 for the social aspect with friends and family members to put a cap on the events of BLAZE Day 2012. Hookin' Stan provided music, and Mitchell Distributing helped sponor the event by providing three free kegs of beer (No Federal endorsement of sponors intended.)