WEBVTT 00:00.081 --> 00:03.081 (soft upbeat music) 00:08.670 --> 00:11.690 - What I really want to make sure is that our airmen 00:11.690 --> 00:14.040 understand it doesn't matter what status they're in. 00:14.040 --> 00:15.590 They're part of our family. 00:15.590 --> 00:17.730 And what I really wanna do is make sure that education 00:17.730 --> 00:18.620 piece gets out there. 00:18.620 --> 00:20.260 So I've been talking to the squadron commanders, 00:20.260 --> 00:21.093 I've talked to the wing commanders 00:21.093 --> 00:24.010 we've talked to our command chiefs, chiefs, 00:24.010 --> 00:26.500 all senior enlisted advisors and all our commanders. 00:26.500 --> 00:27.430 And what we really wanna do 00:27.430 --> 00:29.010 is make sure that everybody understands, 00:29.010 --> 00:31.400 that we need a connection with our airmen. 00:31.400 --> 00:34.970 Because valued airman do not hurt themselves. 00:34.970 --> 00:36.610 - [Richard] The biggest thing here is that 00:36.610 --> 00:38.180 the boss and I want you to know 00:38.180 --> 00:40.450 is that you have a phenomenal support team. 00:40.450 --> 00:42.760 Your first reserve family is always there 00:42.760 --> 00:46.460 if you need a helping hand, or just need someone to talk to. 00:46.460 --> 00:49.790 - As somebody that has struggled with suicidal thoughts. 00:49.790 --> 00:54.560 And what I found is I didn't know how to come out 00:57.410 --> 00:59.740 and say I was suicidal. 00:59.740 --> 01:03.700 But I wanted people to notice me. 01:03.700 --> 01:06.740 You just want somebody to really show you that they care. 01:06.740 --> 01:08.000 And it'd be genuine. 01:08.000 --> 01:10.580 The biggest thing I could say to people don't give up. 01:10.580 --> 01:13.740 Whereas somebody may not give you the piece that you need, 01:13.740 --> 01:15.685 reach out to somebody else. 01:15.685 --> 01:16.518 (upbeat music) 01:16.518 --> 01:17.860 - It's about leadership. 01:17.860 --> 01:18.693 Right? 01:18.693 --> 01:20.330 And we need to be focused on that, 01:20.330 --> 01:22.930 what is going on exactly with our leaders? 01:22.930 --> 01:23.910 What of our airmen? 01:23.910 --> 01:28.270 So if we say leaders are the focus, how can you be resilient 01:28.270 --> 01:30.920 to that uncertainty volatility that's going to happen, 01:30.920 --> 01:32.920 we know it, you're never gonna have enough money, 01:32.920 --> 01:34.510 you're never gonna have enough people. 01:34.510 --> 01:35.690 Leadership is the difference. 01:35.690 --> 01:38.510 - But as we get into the contested environment, 01:38.510 --> 01:43.510 being able to build leaders who understand the vision 01:43.610 --> 01:47.150 of their senior leadership, their war fighting skills, 01:47.150 --> 01:49.430 the war fight that's in front of them, 01:49.430 --> 01:52.240 and to be able to make those very critical 01:52.240 --> 01:55.840 and key decisions, becoming the experts 01:55.840 --> 01:58.250 and training replacements behind us. 01:58.250 --> 02:03.200 - The spiritual domain is a crucial pillar of resiliency, 02:03.200 --> 02:06.040 and really speaks to the very core of our being. 02:06.040 --> 02:09.770 It's what brings us meaning and purpose in life, 02:09.770 --> 02:12.360 kind of help us through those ups and downs of life 02:12.360 --> 02:16.243 that we face that's very natural for us on a daily basis. 02:17.250 --> 02:19.890 Spiritual domain is something that we look at 02:19.890 --> 02:21.810 that we can experience in many ways 02:21.810 --> 02:26.040 some experience in a regular worship service 02:26.040 --> 02:28.010 through an organized faith setting, 02:28.010 --> 02:29.920 the religious expression. 02:29.920 --> 02:32.910 Others see it as a in devotional life 02:32.910 --> 02:34.410 and there are a variety of other ways 02:34.410 --> 02:37.640 to be able to focus on spirituality. 02:37.640 --> 02:40.560 The bottom line is with this emphasis that we have 02:40.560 --> 02:44.940 through the Air Force, the ability to have a spotlight 02:44.940 --> 02:47.570 on spiritual resiliency 02:47.570 --> 02:50.130 and what that's all about in the importance 02:50.130 --> 02:53.020 that all airmen have the opportunity to understand 02:53.020 --> 02:56.070 more meaning and purpose, to be able to help them 02:56.070 --> 02:57.880 through the ups and downs of their lives. 02:57.880 --> 03:00.410 - Studies have shown that those who actively practice 03:00.410 --> 03:02.730 their faith, have lower rates of depression, 03:02.730 --> 03:04.940 are happier, more compassionate 03:04.940 --> 03:07.680 and possess a higher sense of purpose. 03:07.680 --> 03:10.220 Your chaplains and religious affairs airmen are trained 03:10.220 --> 03:11.530 to be your advocates. 03:11.530 --> 03:13.520 By providing for your spiritual needs 03:13.520 --> 03:17.400 and offering 100% confidential communication. 03:17.400 --> 03:19.900 Remember, your Air Force family need you, 03:19.900 --> 03:21.040 your country need you. 03:21.040 --> 03:22.780 Let's take care of one another. 03:22.780 --> 03:25.230 - Feeling like being a senior NCO 03:25.230 --> 03:30.230 that I couldn't talk to anyone outside the chaplains office 03:30.270 --> 03:35.270 in confidentiality, was not a comfortable position for me. 03:36.440 --> 03:38.903 I didn't wanna show a sign of weakness. 03:40.810 --> 03:44.310 I was not always honest with my family and friends. 03:44.310 --> 03:48.100 And sometimes I wasn't always honest with myself 03:48.100 --> 03:50.290 if I wanted to continue to do this job. 03:50.290 --> 03:52.840 And while I represent such a beautiful organization 03:52.840 --> 03:55.380 here at the 459th Air Refueling Wing, 03:55.380 --> 03:56.683 in such a great country. 03:58.130 --> 04:01.540 I also represent myself, and I represent the many others 04:01.540 --> 04:05.763 that have vulnerabilities and might be afraid to show those. 04:06.670 --> 04:09.030 - And I happen to find a doctor that diagnosed me 04:09.030 --> 04:10.880 as having a mental illness, 04:10.880 --> 04:13.570 and I thought first this doctor is crazy. 04:13.570 --> 04:15.810 How can Herschel Walker have a mental illness? 04:15.810 --> 04:18.450 And people don't know I end up checking myself 04:18.450 --> 04:21.470 into the hospital in a behavior of hospital. 04:21.470 --> 04:24.600 And I can tell everyone that's what saved my life, 04:24.600 --> 04:25.830 going into this hospital 04:25.830 --> 04:27.800 that really saved my life because... 04:28.700 --> 04:31.740 And I said if I had not gone to this hospital, 04:31.740 --> 04:34.370 I probably end up killing myself. 04:34.370 --> 04:35.550 And everyone would have thought 04:35.550 --> 04:38.520 it was some type of from a concussion. 04:38.520 --> 04:40.380 But no, it wasn't from a concussion 04:40.380 --> 04:41.940 trauma and mental illness. 04:41.940 --> 04:44.400 Let's try to let all the young men and women of service 04:44.400 --> 04:47.210 know that guys when you get knocked down, get up. 04:47.210 --> 04:49.550 It's not gonna be easy and you're not alone. 04:49.550 --> 04:53.120 Don't be afraid you're not alone, that you can do it. 04:53.120 --> 04:55.050 you're the greatest people in a world. 04:55.050 --> 04:56.720 Then in the United States military 04:56.720 --> 04:58.170 sometimes you wanna be tough. 04:58.170 --> 04:59.620 You gotta be real tough, 04:59.620 --> 05:01.830 tough person is a person that know you get up 05:01.830 --> 05:03.740 and you gonna go get help and you gonna come by 05:03.740 --> 05:04.573 ready to go again. 05:04.573 --> 05:06.080 That's resilience. 05:06.080 --> 05:08.150 - You were valued for what you bring. 05:08.150 --> 05:10.040 There are 74,000. 05:10.040 --> 05:14.780 If I could do with 73,999 I would but I can't. 05:14.780 --> 05:16.890 Every one of you is valuable. 05:16.890 --> 05:18.340 Your value for what you do. 05:18.340 --> 05:21.970 We wanna create an environment where you feel that value. 05:21.970 --> 05:25.140 - If I have an opportunity to interact with quite a few 05:25.140 --> 05:28.230 of our airmen who thought about taking their own lives 05:28.230 --> 05:29.500 and they didn't. 05:29.500 --> 05:34.500 And I can tell you, I can count on my pinky, 05:35.180 --> 05:38.257 the number of airman who said, 05:38.257 --> 05:41.157 "the reason I didn't was some program 05:41.157 --> 05:44.307 "or some process or some video or some training," 05:45.180 --> 05:49.523 every single one of them said it was because of this person. 05:50.560 --> 05:53.240 This supervisor, this commander, this teammate, 05:53.240 --> 05:57.330 this person that I connected with that shows some interest 05:57.330 --> 05:59.320 in me and my well being 05:59.320 --> 06:02.273 and that was why I made a decision that I made so. 06:03.260 --> 06:05.310 - [David] And thanks to our incredible airmen 06:05.310 --> 06:07.960 you are the greatest treasure in our nation's arsenal 06:09.340 --> 06:12.310 and it's our job as leaders to take care of you. 06:12.310 --> 06:14.660 It is an honor everyday to serve as your chief.