Bridge Chat

Video by Tech. Sgt. Alexandre Montes

Beale AFB rolls out tactical pause

9th Reconnaissance Wing

Aug. 9, 2019 | 2:48

The 9th Reconnaissance Wing community response coordinator, Ashley Whitecotton, talks about the wings response to the CSAF-directed Resilience Tactical Pause. This version doesn’t not contain base specific bumpers.

TRANSCRIPT:

MY ROLE AS THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT COORDINATOR IN IMPLIMENTING THIS TACTICAL PAUSE IS REALLY A POSITION FROM ADVISEMENT AND SUPPORT. SO HELPING THOSE COMMANDERS MAKE IT THEIR OWN, HOW CAN THEY DO THAT EFFECTIVELY WHILE ALSO PROVIDING RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE SUPPORT SYSTEMS IN PLACE DURING THESE SMALL GROUPS.
WITH THE RESILIENCY TACTICAL PAUSE THEY REALLY LOOKED AT IMPLIMENTING IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN SUCH AN INCREASE IN SUICIDE RATES ACROSS THE TOTAL FORCE AIR FORCE. THIS YEAR TO DATE WE’VE ALREADY HAD SEVENTY EIGHT COMPLETED SUICIDES, WHICH IS FAR MORE THAN WE’VE HAD IN THE YEARS PRIOR SO WE’RE REALLY LOOKING AT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING EFFECTIVE RATHER THAN JUST DOING SOMETHING. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING THAT CHANGES THE CULTURE AROUND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE’RE TRYING TO HAVE, REMOVING THOSE STIGMAS AND BARRIERS TO SEEKING HELP IN THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN, EACH SQUADRON WILL HOLD THEIR KICKOFF EVENT AS TO WHY THIS IS WHAT WE’RE DOING, AND THEN THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE SMALL GROUP FACILITATIONS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE TO GIVE AIRMEN, BIG A, AN OPPORTUNITY PROVIDE OPEN AND HONEST FEEDBACK ON RISK FACTORS, CHALLENGES, ANYTHING THEY NEED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK FOR IN AN OPEN FORUM, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, WHILE ALSO BEING ABLE TO WORK ON CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE SQUADRON, CREATE THAT UNIT COHESION, AND BUILDING TRUST AT A PEER TO PEER LEVEL AS WELL AS WITHIN THE CHAINS OF COMMAND.
THIS IS NOT A TRAINING; IT IS INTENDED TO BE AN OPEN DIALOGUE CONVERSATION. IF YOU DON’T FEEL AS AN IDIVIDUAL YOU HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION, YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUBMIT YOUR FEEDBACK ANONYMOUSLY AS WELL SO YOUR VOICE CAN STILL BE HEARD. SO IF YOU KNOW THERE ARE CHALLENGES THAT ARE GOING TO BE BROUGHT UP WE CAN ENSURE WE HAVE RESOURCES THERE, IN PERSON SO YOU HAVE THE DIRECT COORELATION BETWEEN A CHALLENGE THAT’S ARISEN AND A SOLUTION BEING PRESENTED.
SO IT’S REALLY, THE COORDINATION PIECE IS HOW I FIT INTO IT AND MAKING SURE THE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THEM, AND OPEN TO ACTUALLY USING THOSE RESOURCES.
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