CAF day to focus on mental fitness, holiday and winter safety

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Zachary Hada
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  The base will conduct a series of activities throughout the day, Nov. 4, in an effort to promote the mental pillar of the Comprehensive Airman Fitness concept among Airmen.

The objective for the upcoming CAF day is to encourage Airmen to discover opportunities available in the Black Hills area, while calling attention to potential safety threats Airmen and their families can face during the winter season.

"Each CAF day focuses on a different pillar of fitness, with this one emphasizing the importance of the mental pillar," said Dennis Wier, 28th Bomb Wing community support coordinator. "The goal is to make Airmen more mentally secure, stable and confident in their ability to handle everyday life."

Wier said mental resiliency training can help Airmen thrive in their personal and professional lives by equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to stay healthy and safe.

To do this, Wier said one of the events - known as Discover the Hills - will begin with Col. Kevin Kennedy, 28th BW commander, addressing Airmen in the Pride Hangar about a wide variety of topics including mental fitness, sexual assault and suicide awareness.
Following the commander's address, Lt. Col. Jaime Hernandez, 28th BW chief of safety, will educate Airmen on how to approach this winter and holiday season, while keeping safety in mind.

"Our goal is to make sure Airmen and their families use a proactive approach to safety rather than reactive," Hernandez said. "This will help them avoid preventable accidents and dangerous situations. A good place to start is with our lessons learned from the recent snow storm. For example, Airmen should make a list of the items they wish they had during the last snow storm, such as a camping stove, extra flashlights or a generator."

Hernandez emphasized it is important for Airmen to utilize proper risk management as a way of identifying potential safety hazards, and then developing a plan to reduce or eliminate the risk.

"We ask all Airmen to be base safety sensors to identify and report potential hazards to Wing Safety before accidents or injuries occur," Hernandez said. "With everyone working together we can mitigate potential risks, reduce injuries, and ultimately increase the combat effectiveness of our Wing."

Following the addresses in the Pride Hangar, Airmen will have an opportunity to visit with local vendors and learn more about winter activities in the local area.

"Overall, CAF day is a great opportunity for us to focus on education and training designed to strengthen our mental, physical, social and spiritual fitness as individuals and as a team ," Hernandez added.