Grit and Gears: Maintainer Resilience

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Megan Estrada
  • 57th Wing Public Affairs

The 757th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron developed a self-care day called “Mindful Maintainer” that occurs every Friday to help maintainers enhance their resiliency and foster connections. 

Working in extreme weather conditions, long hours and the pressure of keeping pilots safe can be very daunting and take a real toll on someone mentally, physically, spiritually and socially...''
Staff Sgt. Heather Tindell, 757th AMXS

Airmen rotate through the program weekly with activities coordinated by integrated resiliency training assistants who run the course. The sessions focus on strengthening maintainers’ communication skills and stress management.

“Our maintainers can expect a range of valuable experiences,” said Tech. Sgt. Isaac Quintana, 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron integrated resiliency training assistant. “They will have the opportunity to network with fellow maintainers from sister units, fostering connections. Mindful Maintainer is an exceptional opportunity for our hardworking Airmen to gain vital knowledge, life skills and communication techniques essential for enhancing their resilience and well-being."

Nellis has one of the busiest flight lines in the Air Force and there can be hundreds of sorties weekly. The success of these sorties relies on the maintainers who generate these aircraft.

“Working in extreme weather conditions, long hours and the pressure of keeping pilots safe can be very daunting and take a real toll on someone mentally, physically, spiritually and socially,” said Staff Sgt. Heather Tindell, 757th AMXS integrated resiliency training assistant. “We recognized a pressing need to create a communal space where members could seamlessly integrate, sharing their experiences, stories, triumphs, and tribulations, and growing stronger as they overcome those obstacles.”

Mindful Maintainer is an on-going program designed to cater to the needs of maintainers. Airmen are provided with feedback forms at the end of class to share their thoughts and provide suggestions for what future classes should look like.
 

“Not only have we received a large amount of feedback stating that they enjoy the program, and its intent, but they also say how excited they are for the next one,” said Tindell. “Members have said that it doesn’t feel like your ordinary mandatory training and that it is a very relaxed environment where they can just be themselves. Us being able to give members a day to look forward to just shows that this program is having the impact it was meant to have when we were developing it.”

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