Airmen strengthen relationships during Wingman Day Published May 7, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE,Ill. -- warrior and a Wingman. Being a Wingman means never leaving other Airmen behind. Members of the 375th Air Mobility Wing celebrated the importance of being a good Wingman by doing small group discussions, followed by teambuilding activities throughout the base April 29. "Wingman Day is an opportunity for Airmen to get to know each other and remember the importance of caring for each other," said Frank Jones, 375th AMW community support coordinator. During the morning, Airmen throughout the wing talked about healthy relationships and how to effectively communicate with each other based on how people prefer to be interacted with. After lunch, the groups conducted teambuilding activities, including bowling, golf, kickball, volleyball and an obstacle course at Warrior Park. Seven teams participated in the obstacle course competition, with the winning team coming from the 375th Communications Squadron. Senior Airman Nicholas McCarty, 375th CS, lead his team to victory, completing the course in just under 3.5 minutes. McCarty's 375th CS teammates were Senior Airman Justin Smith, Staff Sgt. Isaac Davis and Airman 1st Class Malachi Busby. "We decided to compete because fitness is something I really like to encourage to my fellow Wingmen and squadron," McCarty said. "I am a physical training leader, and I knew we would have some good athletes that would like to test ourselves against another squadron. I like to show other squadrons that we aren't the typical 'sit at a computer and be nerds' stereotype." McCarty said that the challenge brought the team closer together, which was one of the purposes of Wingman Day. "We were able to communicate effectively and put trust in each other to have a successful run," McCarty said. "I had 30 seconds to tell my team what to do before we were on the clock. Working together every day, and knowing these people outside of the work place, helped me make adjustments to be effective. The course just showed ourselves that we can work well together as a team even in unusual situations." Jones said he hopes that by dedicating an entire day to Wingmanship, Airmen come to a better understanding of what that means, and that stronger relationships will develop. People will have a better understanding of each other and will be prepared to recognize when their teammates are facing stressors so they will know when to intervene to ensure safety, both on and off duty. "I hope that our Airmen continue to build on the concept of being a good Wingman, and we continue to build resilience skills to keep comprehensively fit--mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. Also, that our relationships run deeper than superficial; that we truly care about each other, take care of each other, and watch each other's back; and that we continue to do everything in our power to create and maintain a culture of dignity and respect."