Dover Air Force Base, Del. -- The Dover Air Force Base Integrated Resilience Team hosted a two-day Warrior Heart event with special guest speakers, mindfulness classes, and resilience focus groups at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, February 8-9, 2024.
Warrior Heart, an effort initiated by Air Mobility Command commander, Gen. Mike Minihan, aims at helping Airmen and their families fine-tune their minds, bodies and spirit to help ensure individual, team and family readiness in preparation for future challenges.
The two-day event kicked off at the base theater where keynote speaker Dr. Jannell MacAulay explained the benefits of mindfulness and how to train your mind to face challenges and achieve peak performance.
“Warrior Heart is about training your mind, body and craft for all the challenges you’ll face as Air Mobility Airmen,” said Dr. Janelle MacAulay, leadership and human performance consultant.
MacAulay, a mother, military spouse, graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and former squadron commander, later met with spouses of Dover AFB Airmen and spoke with them about exploring self-care to help balance family and military life. She also instructed them on breathing exercises to help train and strengthen their minds to better deal with the challenges of their daily routines.
Later, the Integrated Resilience Team hosted a focus lunch with MacAulay for Dover AFB White Ropes, Master Resilience Trainers and Resilience Training Assistants and a second all-call with front-line supervisors.
“I saw the effects of mindfulness first hand at McGuire [Air Force base], where Dr. MacAulay was the OSS commander,” said Col. Bary Flack, 436th Mission Generation Group commander. “Under her leadership, there was a distinct difference in how the Airmen responded, interacted and achieved their mission.”
Day Two featured Anthony Brinkley, a retired Chief Master Segeant and motivational speaker, who spoke at the 436th Aerial Port Squadron on breaking bad habits and behaviors to help find, understand and fulfill your life’s purpose.
“Half of learning is learning…the other half is UN-learning,” said Brinkley.
Brinkley later held sessions where he spoke on his leadership principles, insights and techniques, and how to deal with pain from traumatic life events and turn it into a guiding force.
“Events like this are important to bring clarity to service members,” said Master Sgt. Corey Nowell, 436th APS non-commissioned officer in charge of packing and crating. “They help remind us that there are people in leadership positions who understand what we may be going through.”
The Dover AFB Integrated Resilience Team has plans for additional Warrior Heart events later in 2024.