Wingman: Promise, commitment

  • Published
  • By Jim Headstream
  • Airman and Family Readiness Center
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  Everyone has heard the phrase, "Who's your wingman?" As this phrase is stated in the form of a question, it asks each of us what does wingman mean to you?

Being a good wingman is a promise and commitment to your friends and coworkers that you will never lose sight of them, and you will always be there to help them through both the good and bad times.

A good wingman recognizes when family and friends need help and does not hesitate to help immediately. Supervisors are in an excellent position to spot the first signs of trouble and are in a position to listen and engage.

It is our personal responsibility to be wingmen to ourselves -- being brave enough to let a person in a helping capacity know we need help.

All Airmen are expected to lead by example and to be good wingmen by taking care of themselves and those around them. They should also know when to take action when signs of stress and depression are felt or observed.

Stress will always be a fact of life. The good news is that stress is a problem we can manage if we acknowledge we have it and seek help to resolve it. Air Force leadership is currently confronting this problem. We cannot relieve the tempo of deployment; however, we can and will work to provide our Airmen with the support they need to carry out their mission.

Being a good wingman is a 24-hour a day job. Good wingmen are always on the lookout for any sign of trouble and seek to prevent it from happening.

Good wingmen are leaders as well as followers. We all must be prepared to step up and lead when required, just as we must all be ready to follow once a decision is made.

Actions can be as simple as asking a teammate how he is doing and then listening to what he tells you. They could also be taking the keys from a friend who has had too much to drink and making sure he gets home safely.

Being a good wingman is not learned solely through preventative programs and training sessions alone. The application of the being a good wingman is going to take an effort from us all.

It will take our total commitment to help bring about this cultural change in the Air Force.
Remember, everyone is valuable and irreplaceable -- never lose sight of that.