DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The 355th Maintenance Group now has a facility where MXG Airmen can foster their resilience and take advantage of resources that would normally be geographically separated from the flight line at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Sept. 5, 2023.
With the completion of the Center of Resilience Airmen of the 355th MXG have access to a 24/7 gym, kitchen, on-call chaplain and imbedded mental health providers.
“The Center of Resilience is a one-stop shop on the flight line for maintainers,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Matthew Klimis, 355th Maintenance Group chaplain. “The objective is to care for Airmen more than anyone thinks possible. It’s providing mental health, spiritual health and physical health all for the sake of expediting all of the aforementioned resources to the flight line.”
The effect this addition has had on the morale of the maintenance and other flight line Airmen has caused other installations such as the 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida to begin to create their own centers.
“The reason why we are all here right now is to make sure that the Airmen out there on the flight line have someone to talk to,” said Col. Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander. “The Center of Resilience gives those Airmen a place to talk about their issues that are close to them. I am so thankful to have a leadership team in the maintenance group that were able to keep this project going and know how much this matters to the Airmen here.”
Resilience is an integral aspect of Airmanship and ensuring that Airmen have a dependable, accessible support system in place is crucial to setting them up for success in the short and long term.