Wingman Day takes center stage in 21 SW Published Oct. 9, 2007 By Col. Jay Raymond 21st Space Wing commander PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Being a good "Wingman" has without a doubt been a part of the fabric of our Air Force since we became a separate service in 1947; however, it has only been in the last four years or so that Air Force senior leadership have articulated the Wingman concept into a core philosophy. This philosophy relies on three separate tiers - Commanders, Supervisors, and Airmen - to ensure that people, our most valuable asset, are taken care of. This concept is so important that it is even included in the final verse of the Airman's Creed: I am an American Airman: Wingman, Leader, Warrior. I will never leave an Airman behind. I will never falter, and I will not fail. Whether you are Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, or DoD Civilian, everyone should be aware that we accomplish the mission as part of a dedicated team of Airmen committed to taking care of one another. It is with this principle in mind that we celebrated "Wingman Day" last Friday on 5 October. As we halted non-essential operations across the wing, I hope you had an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a good Wingman and to embrace the culture of Airmen taking care of other Airman. Among the activities taking place were various briefings on sexual assault awareness, driving safety, stress management, and sports safety. In addition, the Colorado Springs Police Department and Mothers Against Drunk Driving provided meaningful presentations that were extremely beneficial to those in attendance. The 21st Space Wing has not had a DUI since 5 Feb 07, that's just over 8 months. Our goal in this Wing is to make it a year without a single DUI. With a strong Wingman culture, this goal is in our grasp. The first half of Wingman Day concluded with the "Amazing Wingman Race" in which teams of 20-25 individuals ran a 1.9 mile race with several challenge stops along the way. Of course, being a teambuilding exercise, no individual times were kept; however, all teams did earn points from each of the challenges. Results are still being tabulated in this very tight race; it will be my pleasure to present the wing's traveling Wingman Trophy and Wingman coins to the race winners at my next commander's call. Once again, congratulations to all of those who participated throughout the entire day on a job well done. There were many individuals who joined forces in executing Wingman Day, but nobody was more important to its resounding success than Col. Liz Anderson, the 21 SW Individual Mobilization Augmentee. She and a small dedicated team planned and organized all of the day's events while remaining true to the spirit of what Wingman Day is all about ... the idea of re-emphasizing mutual support among our Airmen. Thanks to the Wingman team, I know that everyone in the Wing either learned something they didn't know or walked away with a tool that will make them better Airmen. Before I close out my commentary for this week, I'd like to briefly thank the 21st Maintenance Group and their commander for allowing Chief Omdal and me to visit several of their work sections last Thursday. As I've said before, I really enjoy getting out of the office and visiting with you in your workcenters. During our visit, we met with 21 MXG's Deployment Management, Computer Maintenance, and ITE sections. I was really impressed with the Maintenance Group's overall professionalism and enthusiasm in providing our worldwide customers with efficient, effective, and user-friendly support. Of particular note are the contributions of MSgt. Pete Van Driel, 21 MXG unit deployment manager. Thanks to his leadership and the outstanding efforts of the deployment management section, there has never been a single discrepancy involving deployment gear under their control. MSgt. Van Driel and his team have clearly demonstrated what being a Wingman is all about ... accomplishing the mission as part of a dedicated team of Airmen committed to taking care of one another.