THULE AIR BASE, Greenland - -- Among the many ways to develop community, Airmen and Guardians celebrate Wingman Day with various physical activities at Thule Air Base, Greenland, Oct. 15, 2021.
Thule AB is geographically separated from its garrison counterparts and headquarters which makes events such as Wingman Day especially essential to maintain connectivity and team bonding for the purpose of mission success.
To kick off the day, members participated in “We Connect,” a card game with a combination of introspective and fun that incites meaningful conversation and facilitate knowing one another more deeply.
“There were some interesting concepts presented and [“We Connect”] was a great icebreaker especially as a new member to Thule Air Base,” said Staff Sgt. Loretta Laquart, 821st Air Base Group executive assistant.
After the initial icebreaker, members had the choice of engaging in other activities such as charades, dodgeball, kickball and bowling, where they were able to showcase their competitive abilities.
As the event coordinator, Laquart noticed that participants became more optimistic about their experiences as the day progressed.
“Once the activities began people came out of their shells creating a very positive experience,” said Laquart. “The overall consensus for the groups I participated in was that everyone enjoyed themselves.”
By the end of the day, when everyone had exhausted their energy from a fun day of being active, the overall intent of Thule’s Wingman Day – to take a break from a typical duty day and encourage team building – was fulfilled.
“Working and living in such a remote and isolated environment amplifies the need for everyone at Thule Air Base to have a Wingman at all times,” said U.S. Space Force Col Heather L. McGee, 821st Air Base Group commander. “This event gave our Airmen and Guardians the opportunity not only to learn more about themselves, but also about each other to ensure they know that there is always someone to rely on, no matter what. I think everyone understands that they are not alone here, and bringing everyone together for our Wingman day helped drive that home.”