Page 2 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, October 2, 2020

2 October 2, 2020 Commentary Desert lightning news s. nevaDa Desert lightning news s. nevaDa news October 2, 2020 3
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Missed opportunities, lifetime of regret MQ-9

by Glenn S. Robertson his brother, who was also a good friend of The night of June 5, 2007, my computer have felt the need to take that terrible last
F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. mine, called me to tell me that my friend started buzzing with an alert of an internet step. Maybe if I had tried to help him soon Reaper
was in the hospital after attempting suicide. phone call. It was about 3 a.m., and I woke after his first attempt, to help him get to
The day before one of my best friends He survived that attempt, and we did our to see who was calling. It was my friend’s the root of why he attempted, he would
tried to take his own life, he was laughing, best to support him and not make him feel brother. have had better coping skills to not want
joking and goofing around like he usually like an outcast. I knew. I knew what he would say, and to try again. new
did. We didn’t really even address what had I didn’t answer. I just sat in my barracks Don’t miss a chance to tell someone you
It was a normal March day in Florida in happened, at least not to any deep level. room quietly, waiting for the voicemail. ARE worried about them. You might not
2001, and several of us were hanging out Time passed and we both moved on with My friend, his brother, was gone. get the chance to say you were.
after class. We talked about the upcoming our respective lives. I joined the Navy after I did call back the next day to talk to his * Note: If you notice changes in loved
football season, the ongoing hockey season college, and he moved to Texas. I saw him brother and connect with him in our grief. ones, friends or coworkers that give you weapons
and whatever else came to mind. a handful of times between 2002 and 2007. We both expressed that we wished we had cause to worry about their safety, call a
Though nearly everything seemed nor- For years, I knew my friend had demons done more when it counted. helping agency. Call the Suicide Hotline,
mal, the clarity of hindsight allowed me to he was fighting, even if he wasn’t fighting I want to be clear that I do not blame call the Violence Prevention Integrator or
see later something out of place. Near the them out in the open. I knew he struggled, myself for my friend’s passing. His deci- Suicide Prevention staffer, call a chaplain, test
time I was about to leave, he offered me and while I offered to be there for him, I sion was his alone and was made at the end call base law enforcement or even emergen-
things that I wouldn’t have expected him wasn’t when he needed someone the most.I of suffering I do not, and could not ever, cy services. If you are suffering yourself,
to part with, and then, as I was walking out had not spoken to him for several months, understand. those same individuals can help bring you
the door, he said, “I love you, man.” due to my being stationed overseas. The However, I cannot help but look back from the darkness. Don’t suffer in silence An MQ-9 Reaper, assigned to the 556th
It never occurred to me that he was in time difference, along with the require- and consider what I could have done dif- and don’t suffer alone. Call someone. * Test and Evaluation Squadron, armed
such a bad spot that he would hurt himself. ments of my job just did not leave much ferently, even if I don’t blame myself. Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273- with an AIM-9X missile sits on the
I had to go to work an overnight security time for long-distance calls back to the U.S. Maybe if I had paid closer attention or TALK (8255) Veterans Crisis Press 1 flightline, Sept. 3, 2020, at Creech Air
shift, and it was early the next morning that Then, the worst happened. called more often, maybe he would not Military OneSource: 1-800-342-9647
Force Base, Nev. The MQ-9 successfully
employed a live air-to-air test of an AIM-
empathy: Pass it on Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Haley Stevens 167 drone simulating a cruise missile.
9X Block 2 missile against a target BQM-

by Maj. Nelson Mitchell Recently, it was announced there is still Combining emotional intelligence and the taken down see them as a celebration of a CRW tests Advanced Battle Management System
F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. race disparity in the Air Force. We all had to ability of putting yourself in other people’s painful past where there was slavery, death
have “tough conversations” within our squad- shoes can be profound, and show the full ef- on ships crossing the Atlantic, lynching, fam-
During this unique time, it is easy for rons; but in reality, these talks will not move fect of being empathetic. Listening to people’s ily separation, and second class citizenship, during agile combat employment exercise
people to get overwhelmed. From the pan- the ball forward if everyone involved does stories can take on a different meaning and we lasting more than 100 years after the Civil
demic to current race relations to the upcom- not try to put themselves in another person’s can connect to people at a different level than War ended.
ing election, it appears that no matter where shoes. Attempting to understand where some- just surface conversations. This also allows us, These arguments were very ugly and
you look, there is something about each topic, one else is coming from can be an awakening at our homes or squadrons, to have positive resulted in sweeping changes, that removed by Tech. Sgt. David Carbajal multifunctional skill sets to the exercise
good, bad or indifferent. moment. We all came from different places, and healthy conversations and disagreements. a large majority of these symbols. As we all Travis AFB, Calif. that also tested the Advanced Battle
All the animosity in the U.S. coupled with and have different life experiences. That’s right, being empathetic does not know, even though there was a sweeping Management System, which is a state-of-
everyday life can be too much for some or In a perfect world, we would all uses these mean we have to treat everything we are change, it is still a contentious subject because A team of 10 Airmen from the 621st the-art system designed to provide com-
bring out emotions and opinions in people differences to learn and drive towards making confronted with as if it were rainbows and the overall goal of understanding the reason Contingency Response Group partici-
we would have least expected. From our own society better instead of being divisive. Next is sunshine. Having positive and constructive for taking the symbols was lost. batant commanders the ability to control
individual families to the Airmen in our the ability to feel a person’s emotions as if they disagreements allows for personal growth and Refocusing back on the animosity and pated in an agile combat employment ex- Department of Defense assets in real time.
squadrons, 2020 has been tough on everyone; are your own. We have all known that person ability to work quick resolution or compro- divisiveness in society, it is easy to see that ercise Sept. 1-3 at Buckley Air Force Base, According to an Air Force news story,
and to be honest, there are many who feel that who lights up a room when they enter it, or the mise for everyone involved. In order for this society as a whole is lacking empathy. Being Colo., and Nellis AFB, Nev., with other the goal of ABMS is to enable the Air
things are not getting any better. However, person who has such a negative attitide that it to happen, all the traits of empathy need to be empathetic is tough and it takes time. Think active-duty and Air National Guard Air- Force and Space Force to operate together
one way for us as families, the Air Force and drags down the office. brought to the table. However, when there is of it as a muscle that needs to be worked out men from across the United States.
United States to begin to move forward and That indirect absorption of energy is no respect, understanding or emotional intel- to make it stronger and more effective. The Devil Raiders brought their unique See COmbAt, on Page 12
overtake this animosity, is to fully practice considered a part of empathy. Personally, ligence involved, the result can, at times, be Depending on what article you read or
empathy. my wife has really taught me a lot about this, worse than it was before or at least status quo. what is posted on Facebook, it may seem like
I know as you read this, you may be think- as having awareness of the energy around An example of when empathy is not in- things are hopeless. With that being said,
ing how could “feeling someone’s pain” can you improves how you approach life. Being volved in solving a disagreement would be there is hope because as Airmen, we are con-
possibly help to fix anything going on in the emotionally intelligent is a key trait that we the issue about confederate flags and stat- sidered role models in society, and by being
world. By unpacking that phrase, it shows how all need to understand. From our families, ues. The large argument for keeping those empathetic leaders, we can affect society one
deep empathy is and the other values that are to the office and everything in between, be- symbols around was southern and family day at a time. We can start with our families
shown within it. The ability to “feel someone’s ing emotionally intelligent is very important pride in the past, and the assumption that all and then just take things one day at a time
pain” means that we as individuals must put because it allows us to be aware of how our the people who wanted to take them down after that. Will it be easy? No, but based on
ourselves in other’s shoes to see their point of emotions affect people around us and read don’t have pride in the history of the state. In the profession we chose, easy is not in our Air Force photograph by Tech. Sgt. Cory D. Payne
view. Some would call that respect. other people’s emotional queues. reality those people wanting those symbols vocabulary. Tech. Sgt. John Rodiguez, 321st Contingency Response Squadron security team,
provides security with a Ghost Robotics Vision 60 prototype at a simulated
austere base during the Advanced Battle Management System exercise at
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