DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Team Dover … I hope the lights are back on by the time this prints! You’ve had a roller-coaster of a week, and you’ve earned some time off. Take the time for yourself to do nothing at all ... for a bit. Then, get back at it.
Take the time to do what you love. Take the time to better yourself. Take the time to brush up on and hone your skills. Most importantly, take the time to get uncomfortable doing it.
What do I mean? Learn something new; do something new. Challenge yourself every day. Little things. Big things. Set challenging goals, and crush the timeline getting there. Stimulate your mind, and defy your perception of what is possible … But do it responsibly (summiting K2 the first week of your new mountaineer class is probably not the direction we are looking for here).
Stay mentally in the game … Challenge yourself to learn something new. Sometimes, it hurts to take time out for ourselves. Make time for yourself, to be a better you, mentally, physically. Our free time is contested every day. Spend what little time you have left to better yourself … And if you can’t find it, make it. Not much – because that may be impossible. Taking 30 minutes of my day, every day, to brush up on new Air Force Instructions, technical orders and techniques has allowed me to remain on top of the latest trends in my career field, even when my time and attention are often pulled away from my core training tasks. No doubt you may be different, but find what works.
Stay physically fit … Get uncomfortable … Sweat, strain and push yourself to new personal achievements. An Army Ranger and close friend recently reminded me what it felt like to earn my workout, running nine miles through a snow-covered forest in shorts at 30 degrees. Ten years my senior, he pushed me to a point I thought I couldn’t return to physically and mentally. For that I am thankful. He reminded me of the reward that comes from sacrifice and pain … A temporary discomfort for the satisfaction of achievement.
Last week, Team Dover had the pleasure of welcoming home over 50 Team Dover Airmen from the C-5 multi-modal operation. For 30 days, these skillful men and women got uncomfortable. They completed a 7000-mile deployment and redeployment of two U.S. Army Combat Aviation Brigades to and from Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Their expertise in their craft, determination and sacrifice enabled a Joint network of aviation professionals to complete the mission in record time with the highest maintenance performance in recent history. Their grit and endurance paid off, and for this, we could not be more proud.