Altus AFB Wing Stand Down Day

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Seidl
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Altus Air Force Base will temporarily suspend most mission operations on Monday, May 24 to focus on safety awareness and education.

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Norton A. Schwartz, directed an Air Force-wide half-day "stand down" during the month of May in response to a recent upswing in service member deaths due to non-combat related causes, primarily suicides and motor vehicle accidents. The 97th Air Mobility Wing selected May 24 as the best day to conduct this event. All operations are suspended for the day, to include training flights and medical appointments.

"Around the Air Force right now, the two biggest culprits are suicides and motor-vehicle accidents. The stand down training, specifically the "Message Home" video, will help all of us recognize how the warning signs of someone in crisis can be very subtle. It also helps remind us that we each need to be vigilant wingmen to ensure our Airmen are getting help when they face difficult times," said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Maddox, 97th Air Mobility Wing Chief of Safety

While the Chief of Staff, Gen Schwartz, directed a half-day for this stand-down, the 97th Air Mobility Wing has elected to suspend operations for a full day to leverage the time available to conduct other important training events and mass meetings.

"Based on the length of our training sorties, which are typically four to five hours in duration, it would have been very difficult to stand down for just a half day and be able to dedicate the time required to adequately address the important points raised by our Chief of Staff," said Colonel Ty Thomas, 97th Air Mobility Wing Commander. "By taking a full day, we'll focus exclusively on the safety message in the morning, and in the afternoon, we will hold a series of gatherings and training events that will further enhance our mission accomplishment here at Altus Air Force Base."

A full schedule of events for the day will be sent out to 97th Air Mobility Wing Airmen, and is also available through contact with the Wing Safety office at 481-7916.