Page 4 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, April 2021

4 April 2021 spotlight http://www.luke.af.mil Thunderbolt news Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt 5
April 2021
Thunderbolt
http://www.luke.af.mil
www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb
56th Fighter Wing Airman grants 56 wishes for children Recovery, resilience can transform pain into power

by Senior Airman her assignment to Luke in 2016. get through the door they’re like
CAiTLin DiAz-goRSi “I felt like I needed to get out ‘I want to go to Disneyland and by Second only to love, resilience is life’s most impor- that they carry around with them like a big bucket of
and do more,” said Kim. “There’s meet Mickey Mouse’ (so) we ShARon KozAK tant principle. Resilience enables you to deal with the extra parts. Positive emotions — feelings you get from
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
nothing like being able to see a make that part of their itiner- day-to-day grind — the pain and challenges of life. It being loved, being heard, feeling gratitude, experienc-
Community involvement and smile on a kid’s face, knowing ary,” said Kim. “And then we Community Support Coordinator will give you the tools to cope and be normal. But, we ing two-way communication and connection — can
selfless service are common that you’ve granted their one have wishes where they don’t Like many new years, 2020 started on a hopeful still don’t know what the “new normal” will look like generate fuel. Negative emotions are equally powerful,
attributes of service members. true wish.” know what they want and you note. The number itself was inspiring — suggested in 2021. In many ways, the new normal will have us and potential fuel exits from feelings that accompany
One Airman at Luke Air Force The process of granting wish- talk about it with them.” optimal clarity and sharpness of vision. However, mourning for lives, moments and opportunities lost. depression, anxiety, disappointment, anger, being dis-
Base set the bar high in grant- es can take a few days to several In December 2020, Kim com- since the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us (and Hopefully, in other ways, the new normal will bring respected, and other painful emotions. When you have
ing children’s wishes through weeks. To help grant a wish, Kim bined her work life and passion of civil unrest has changed daily life) 2021 is really test- with it a new appreciation for connection, the freedom your resilience breakthrough, you realize that the fuel
the Make-A-Wish foundation. first meets with families to dis- working with children by helping a ing our resilience. Becoming resilient starts with the to do things we enjoy, human touch and even a better is there. You learn how to access the fuel and are able
Staff Sgt. Janet Kim, 61st cuss the child’s wish before she young boy to be a pilot for the day. realization that the adversity you experience — any understanding of technology. We hope that the new to access it quickly. Once you can do that, you are fly-
Aircraft Maintenance Unit begins the logistics of bringing “I have seen how unique some of pain, discrimination, or challenge — can be converted normal will be filled with hope for equality, empathy ing high and on the road to a long-term resilient life.
F-35 avionics craftsman, has their dream to life. the wishes are across the nation,” into powerful fuel that can actually bring opportunity. and dialogue about what connects us to overcome that When I look at the principles highlighted, they are
granted 56 wishes for children “We have wishes where it’s said Kim. “It was awesome to in- According to the Christian Moore dictionary, there are which divides us. While we cannot always prevent or undoubtedly interconnected — hope drives resiliency
with critical illnesses following super simple and before we even See wiShES, Page 10 two definitions of adversity. First: “A state or instance remove suffering and pain, we can practice empathy and recovery, and resiliency and recovery build hope.
of distress, calamity, hardship, or affliction.” Second: by listening for understanding rather than agreement. Let us remind one another that, although hope can be
Staff Sgt. Janet Kim, “Fuel; energy; your best friend.” That second definition We can seek to have uncomfortable conversations that hard work, believing in recovery and fostering resil-
61st Aircraft Mainte- may seem odd, but I’m about to reframe the way you lead to understanding and love. We can work to find ience in the face of serious challenges has the ability to
nance Unit F-35 avionics see your problems and hopefully bring tremendous our own voice and then use our voice to cultivate and bring about lasting positive change. So, let me offer an
craftsman, poses for a light into your life. celebrate the resilient people in our communities. opportunity for anyone to do just that, by lifting each
photo, Feb. 25, at Luke Resilience … this process of using adversity as Resilience showed me how my problems — even other up and providing inspiration by becoming a Resil-
Air Force Base. Kim has fuel, has fundamentally changed my life. I truly feel my very worst problems — could become my greatest ience Trainer Assistant (RTA). Let us work together in
helped grant 56 wishes hope is always alive, because absolutely everyone can resource. If we are able to reframe our challenges and a way that unites individuals by attending a three-day
to children with critical benefit from resilience. But, before we get ahead of recognize them as fuel, we can operate like a refinery training called Comprehensive Airmen Fitness (CAF).
illnesses as a volunteer ourselves, let’s also define resilience. “Resilience is the — channeling the emotion generated out of something During this training, you’ll learn skills that transform
supporting the Make-A- ability to bounce back when you have every reason to negative like pain or even something positive like love pain into powerful and resilient sources, recognize that
Wish Foundation. Kim shut down — but you fight on! Resilient people have — and turning it into fuel that can be used to propel the path forward for those struggling with life stress,
volunteers in the com- both tapped and untapped reserves, enabling them us forward. and can spark conversations and increase awareness.
munity to stay rresilient, to overcome and thrive as they face the setbacks, Once you see how resilience works, your problems If you are interested in attending CAF training and
while developing several Courtesy graphic challenges, and fears of daily life,” according to the can become a never-ending source of fuel. Pain can becoming an RTA, please email Sharon Kozak at sha-
skills that have helped Kim reveals to Colin, a Make-A-Wish child, and his family, that Colin’s Christian Moore dictionary. equal power. Everyone has emotions — good and bad — ron.kozak@us.af.mil.
her grow professionally wish to go to Disney World was granted. Kim created an itinerary and
Senior Airman Caitlin Diaz-gorsi and personally. resolved the logistics to enable Colin’s dream to come true.

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