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188th builds camaraderie, unity and resilience through Wingman Day

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Hannah Dickerson
  • 188th Wing Public Affairs
EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. --  With high spirits and determination, Airmen from the 188th Wing challenged each other in friendly competitions June 7, 2015, to promote camaraderie, unity and focus on resiliency as a part of Wingman Day.

Wingman Day is designed to encourage Airmen to build and foster positive relationships not only in their work area, but throughout the wing. The event included a 1.5 mile run, volleyball, horseshoes, a mile relay, free-throw competition, golf pitching, a casting contest and a safety obstacle course.

This year's overall team champion was the 153rd Intelligence Squadron, which upended last year's title holders from the 188th Civil Engineer Squadron Team 2. The 188th CES finished second this year following a tiebreaker that featured a free-throw competition, winner-take-all format in which the best individual shooter helped earn the title for his or her squadron. The 123rd Intelligence Squadron finished in third place overall.

"The Wingman Olympics are competitions designed to encourage team building in the different units," said 2nd Lt. Jake Tidwell, 188th Wingman Day coordinator assigned to the 123rd IS. "Fun events such as this help boost morale and offer a chance to get out of the office to spend time with our fellow wingmen."

Maj. Sara Stigler, 153rd IS commander, noted that she's seen increased improvements in her unit and how they've worked together as a team through the Wingman Day activities.

"It's only been a year since the conversion and I can already see how the 153rd has united with Airmen coming from different backgrounds," Stigler said.
The 153rd was paced by Airman 1st Class Dylan Lindley, who won the men's 1.5-mile run with a time of 9:09. Tech. Sgt. Rachel Ponder, 188th Communications Flight, set the new wing record with a first-place time of 10:08 in the women's 1.5-mile run.

The 188th Security Forces Squadron won the volleyball tournament and 188th CES Team 2 took the mile relay title. The 188th Medical Group's Master Sgt. John Ashworth earned the free-throw competition championship and Master Sgt. Jodie Haralson of the 188th Communications Flight bested the competition for the casting contest title. Ian Bellisario, 188th Student Flight, won the golf pitching contest and Wing Staff's Lt. Col. Keith Brannon grabbed first place in the safety obstacle course. The 188th CES Team 1 achieved victory in the horseshoe tourney. 

The "wingman concept" promotes an environment of supporting and helping one another, no matter what situation may arise.

As the wing moves forward in the conversion process from a manned flying unit to an ISR mission, it is vital that unit members build valuable relationships that help strengthen the mission.

"I think it's important that we spend time with members outside of our career fields," said Tidwell. "This event allows us to work on team building and resiliency among wing members as we begin a new mission and as new squadrons are established."

In each event, 1st place received 25 points, 2nd place received 15 points and 3rd place received 5 points. Col. Bobbi Doorenbos, 188th Wing commander, presented a trophy to the squadron finishing in 1st place.

"It is such a proud moment to see all our Airmen come together for some friendly competition to not only challenge one another, but to also push and encourage each other to grow as individuals and a team," said Doorenbos. "Resiliency and unity, across the board, is something that is at the heart of building a strong family, which is what we are at the 188th."

Wingman Day Olympics results
Team results
1st place: 153rd Intelligence Squadron
  2nd place: 188th Civil Engineer Squadron Team 1
3rd place: 123rd Intelligence Squadron

Individual results
1.5-mile run (men): Airman 1st Class Dylan Lindley, 153rd Intelligence Squadron, 9:09
1.5-mile run (women): Tech. Sgt. Rachel Ponder, 188th Communications Flight, 10:08
Volleyball: 188th Security Forces Squadron
Mile relay: 188th Civil Engineer Squadron Team 2
Free throws: Master Sgt. John Ashworth, 188th Medical Group
Golf Pitching: Ian Bellisario, 188th Student Flight
Horseshoes: 188th Civil Engineer Squadron Team 1
Casting contest: Master Sgt. Jodie Haralson, 188th Communications Flight
Safety obstacle course: Lt. Col. Keith Brannon, 188th Wing

188th builds camaraderie, unity and resilience through Wingman Day

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Hannah Dickerson
  • 188th Wing Public Affairs
EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. --  With high spirits and determination, Airmen from the 188th Wing challenged each other in friendly competitions June 7, 2015, to promote camaraderie, unity and focus on resiliency as a part of Wingman Day.

Wingman Day is designed to encourage Airmen to build and foster positive relationships not only in their work area, but throughout the wing. The event included a 1.5 mile run, volleyball, horseshoes, a mile relay, free-throw competition, golf pitching, a casting contest and a safety obstacle course.

This year's overall team champion was the 153rd Intelligence Squadron, which upended last year's title holders from the 188th Civil Engineer Squadron Team 2. The 188th CES finished second this year following a tiebreaker that featured a free-throw competition, winner-take-all format in which the best individual shooter helped earn the title for his or her squadron. The 123rd Intelligence Squadron finished in third place overall.

"The Wingman Olympics are competitions designed to encourage team building in the different units," said 2nd Lt. Jake Tidwell, 188th Wingman Day coordinator assigned to the 123rd IS. "Fun events such as this help boost morale and offer a chance to get out of the office to spend time with our fellow wingmen."

Maj. Sara Stigler, 153rd IS commander, noted that she's seen increased improvements in her unit and how they've worked together as a team through the Wingman Day activities.

"It's only been a year since the conversion and I can already see how the 153rd has united with Airmen coming from different backgrounds," Stigler said.
The 153rd was paced by Airman 1st Class Dylan Lindley, who won the men's 1.5-mile run with a time of 9:09. Tech. Sgt. Rachel Ponder, 188th Communications Flight, set the new wing record with a first-place time of 10:08 in the women's 1.5-mile run.

The 188th Security Forces Squadron won the volleyball tournament and 188th CES Team 2 took the mile relay title. The 188th Medical Group's Master Sgt. John Ashworth earned the free-throw competition championship and Master Sgt. Jodie Haralson of the 188th Communications Flight bested the competition for the casting contest title. Ian Bellisario, 188th Student Flight, won the golf pitching contest and Wing Staff's Lt. Col. Keith Brannon grabbed first place in the safety obstacle course. The 188th CES Team 1 achieved victory in the horseshoe tourney. 

The "wingman concept" promotes an environment of supporting and helping one another, no matter what situation may arise.

As the wing moves forward in the conversion process from a manned flying unit to an ISR mission, it is vital that unit members build valuable relationships that help strengthen the mission.

"I think it's important that we spend time with members outside of our career fields," said Tidwell. "This event allows us to work on team building and resiliency among wing members as we begin a new mission and as new squadrons are established."

In each event, 1st place received 25 points, 2nd place received 15 points and 3rd place received 5 points. Col. Bobbi Doorenbos, 188th Wing commander, presented a trophy to the squadron finishing in 1st place.

"It is such a proud moment to see all our Airmen come together for some friendly competition to not only challenge one another, but to also push and encourage each other to grow as individuals and a team," said Doorenbos. "Resiliency and unity, across the board, is something that is at the heart of building a strong family, which is what we are at the 188th."

Wingman Day Olympics results
Team results
1st place: 153rd Intelligence Squadron
  2nd place: 188th Civil Engineer Squadron Team 1
3rd place: 123rd Intelligence Squadron

Individual results
1.5-mile run (men): Airman 1st Class Dylan Lindley, 153rd Intelligence Squadron, 9:09
1.5-mile run (women): Tech. Sgt. Rachel Ponder, 188th Communications Flight, 10:08
Volleyball: 188th Security Forces Squadron
Mile relay: 188th Civil Engineer Squadron Team 2
Free throws: Master Sgt. John Ashworth, 188th Medical Group
Golf Pitching: Ian Bellisario, 188th Student Flight
Horseshoes: 188th Civil Engineer Squadron Team 1
Casting contest: Master Sgt. Jodie Haralson, 188th Communications Flight
Safety obstacle course: Lt. Col. Keith Brannon, 188th Wing