Team Kadena participates in Wingman Day

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Corey M. Pettis
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Members of Team Kadena focused on team-building and developing bonds on Wingman Day here Oct. 2

Wingman Day encourages Comprehensive Airmen Fitness and enhancing resiliency skills with group activities to promote cooperation between Airmen.

"The goal of Wingman Day is found in the very definition of a Wingman," said Lisa Velez, community support coordinator. "To encourage Airmen and their families to look out for each other, in tandem with promoting Comprehensive Airman Fitness, reflective of the four domains:  mental, physical, social, and spiritual."

Each squadron hosted their own events to promote wingmanship that included scavenger hunts, paintball games, World War II base tours, sports tournaments, viewing and discussions of a resiliency film and more.

Resiliency trainers also conducted a series of classes throughout the day, which comprise the Individual Resiliency Skills Course. Course topics ranged from improving problem solving skills and accomplishing goals to active constructive responding.

"In my opinion, fall Wingman Day was simply exceptional," said Velez. "Not only because of those items such as CAF integration activities, Dave Roever, etc., but also for what many did not witness which was an innumerate amount of commands and agencies that worked tirelessly together in order to contribute to a day that would resonate with each member of Kadena Air Base. I am already looking forward to next Wingman Day and how we may continue to work together for the care and keeping of this community."

A series of commander's calls led by Brig. Gen. Barry Cornish, 18th Wing commander, were hosted with guest speaker Roever, a Vietnam veteran who was injured during the Vietnam War, who now travels the world telling his inspirational story of resiliency and adversity to service members and their families.  

"With fingers so damaged I had to wrap it around my pinky and I pulled that tube out and I waited to die," said Roever. "And I waited and I got hungry, it was the wrong tube, I pulled lunch and I am so glad I did, I am so glad it was the wrong tube. When you make that unilateral decision to kill yourself you are forfeiting every potential wonderful thing that could happen in your life. It can get better, give hope a chance."

Roever told stories imbedded with humor and tears of his experience and all of the struggles he went through recovering from the wounds he received during Vietnam. He spoke about how he overcame his disadvantages and how his resiliency saved his life.

"Brig Gen Cornish commander's call featuring resiliency speaker, Mr. Dave Roever.  Mr. Roever's story of tragedy to triumph imbedded with humor and tears left an indelible mark on all who heard it, captured in the many who stayed afterwards to share with him their own tragedy to triumph stories and in some case to convey that in that moment they were in the midst of the tragedy but were inspired to seek the triumph," said Velez  

Roever's speech was broadcast on American Forces Network Commander's Access Channel and on the radio. Footage of his presentation is also available to watch on YouTube.