432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs --
The first two lines of the Airman’s Creed are, “I am an American Airman. I am a warrior.” Like the creed suggests, every Airman who wears the uniform has a responsibility to embody a lifestyle and mindset that reflects these values.
Leading a warrior’s lifestyle is no easy task, but for Airmen at Creech Air Force Base, the Life of a Warrior program offers them the opportunity to build on the four pillars of resiliency: mental, physical, social and spiritual.
“The idea behind Life of a Warrior is to incorporate not only fitness but the pillars that we, as the Air Force, live by,” said Staff Sgt. Stacey, 799th Air Base Squadron NCO in charge of outbound assignments. “In each of our daily lives we combat so many stressors, from work, to school, to kids and our home lives. This program allows the focus of not only your body to ensure a workout, but your mind to keep you focused.”
Founded in 2013 by then Col. Barry Cornish, a previous 99th Air Base Wing commander at Nellis Air Base, it takes a practical approach to helping Airmen reach their full potential while preventing harmful habits and behaviors. The campaign is based off of John Underwood’s Life of an Athlete program and encourages team building and healthy, resilient lifestyles.
The program also targets the age range of 21 to 26 year olds and works to combat issues derived from excessive drinking.
“Being in the military we fall into that high risk category, especially with young Airmen coming to Las Vegas for the first time in their lives,” Stacey said. “We hope to show them through this program, there are many other things you can do [to prevent] making a choice you might not be able to take back.”
As the program’s lead for Creech, Stacey is in charge of running monthly workout events known as Warrior Trained Fitness. The workouts give over 3,000 service members on base the opportunity to come together and enjoy themselves during a high paced fitness regimen.
Capt. Chad, 799th Security Forces Squadron operations officer, added that the workouts provide variety to his fitness routine and enable him to meet the day feeling accomplished.
“The best thing about Life of a Warrior for me was how sore my legs are afterward,” said Chad.
The campaign also features warrior challenges, which are obstacle courses designed to make Airmen work as a team. The challenges are held every three to six months and are open to both Nellis and Creech, allowing members from both bases to be involved with one another.
Stacey said she has placed her heart into the fitness world, and overseeing initiatives like Life of a Warrior has allowed her to help others reach their goals.
“I believe this program is important to the Air Force because of the impact that it has had on some people’s lives, and I have been witness to those,” Stacey said.
Knowing that personal struggles vary from individual to individual, Stacey believes that Life of a Warrior provides an avenue to release negative feelings.
“Life of a Warrior allows me to change lives and keep people motivated to reach their personal best,” Stacey said. “You never know what one hour, one word, or one day can change in someone’s life. If I can remove ‘I can’t’ from as many people as possible, then the Air Force will always have members who can.”
Life of a Warrior is an opportunity unique to Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases that keeps Airmen fit to fight. For more information on upcoming events on Creech, call 702-202-1730 or visit the Life of a Warrior Facebook page.