DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- U.S. Air Force maintainers from the 355th Maintenance Group participated in Maintainers in Action at the Center of Resilience on June 12, 2025. This new initiative fosters spiritually fit and resilient Airmen through peer support and engagement, enhancing overall well-being and flightline readiness.
Maintainers are vital to the Air Force mission, and their wellness is as critical as aircraft readiness. This new program promotes a healthier flightline environment by providing a safe space to share emotions and address existing cultural barriers through dedicated facilitators.
“There’s a lot of Airmen who feel alone and who don’t know how to connect with other Airmen outside the usual maintenance culture,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ernia Simoneaux, 355th Maintenance Group, religious affairs non-commissioned officer in charge. “That’s why we're working to form a group of people focused on spreading positivity within the maintenance group.”
Maintainers in Action encourages Airmen to lean on each other. Sharing real-world experiences shows others they are not alone, helping to build a more resilient maintenance community.
“My goal is that no one ever feels so low that they don't have a place, or someone who truly cares,” said a facilitator from the Maintainers In Action initiative assigned to the 355th Maintenance Group. “If a maintainer is having the worst day and believes no one cares for them, I want to show them that we are here, we see them and we care.”
A major strength of the program is its location directly on the flightline, ensuring easy access when time is limited. Since maintainers often do not have time to leave the flightline if they are feeling overwhelmed in the middle of a shift, having it right where they work makes it both convenient and connected to their daily environment.
“Maintainers in Action’s vision is to cultivate spiritually fit and resilient Airmen, building peer support and extending the outreach upon 1,600 maintainers,” said Simoneaux. “Chaplain Renny Cherian and I can’t physically see everybody everyday, so having those support personnel that can identify what units need support really makes a difference.”
Maintenance work is intense and can make it challenging for Airmen to prioritize their own well-being. Maintainers in Action promotes a culture where mental and spiritual fitness are essential to mission success, emphasizing that being there for one another is key. This initiative directly supports the Air Force mission by ensuring Airmen are resilient, ready and capable of sustaining peak performance in demanding environments.