MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Great Falls Montana- As global sports fans everywhere are still celebrating the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, two veteran Olympians are traveling to this Air Force Global Strike Command Air Base to share their life stories with Airmen. Their goal: showing today’s Airmen that they too are Olympic Team material.
‘Beyond the Games’ is the themed named for this special engagement. It’s arrival at the 341st Missile Wing is focused on helping the Department of Defense put a face on resiliency training. “Our armed forces members whether serving on active duty, reserves or of veteran status need to see that they aren’t alone in their commitment to excellence,” says Mike Lane, communications director has brought the Olympians to Malmstrom AFB, adding, “the same sacrifices that Olympians make in pursuit of their sports dreams are experienced on a daily basis by our service members.”
Connecting the two parallel universes has been the job of the all volunteer nonprofit American300 Tours. Over the past 5 years the organization has brought olympic and professional sports athletes, wounded warriors and a wide array of unique guest mentors to bases all over the world. With a mission of connecting amazing individual life stories with our service members to allow them to draw from other experiences. “The past two decades have been brutal on our armed forces, our goal is to show them (military members) that they aren’t alone in dealing with adversity.” says Robi Powers, a veteran and retired US Ski Team coach, “We believe in growth through connecting individuals who have in some way shape or form been there and done that.” he added.
There were times in olympic snowboardcross athlete, Erin Nemec’s life when she defined herself as an athlete and didn’t see beyond the next world cup let alone Olympic Games. “ All I can say is that it’s a whole new world being a mother of two and wife,” reflects the three-time X Games silver medalist, “We never had career planners, it was about living in the moment during my years of competition... now the olympic teams all have career advisors helping athletes plan for the future, it’s awesome.”
Olympian Ann Battelle Ayad shares Nemec’s view: “the focus was always on competition, doing the ‘job’ of being an Olympian was what it was all about. It wasn’t till after my 4th Olympic Team that I started to transition into what now seems like a whole different world, being a parent and wife.”
For the next 3 days the Olympians will be at Malmstrom, engaging with Airmen from the full spectrum of air force specialty codes. From missileers to the maintainers and security forces which keep our nations nuclear deterrence arsenal ready around the clock. “Air Force Global Strike Command is constantly working to strengthen the human weapons system,” says Powers, adding “We’re simply putting a 'Olympic Face' on the comprehensive airmen’s fitness doctrine that helps guide them."
For more information on American300 visit: www.American300.org
For more information on Air Force Global Strike Command visit: www.afgsc.af.mil
Media Contact: Mike Lane - mlane@steamboat.com
No comments:
Post a Comment