133rd Airlift Wing Receives Resilience Training through First Hand Experience

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt Paul Santikko
  • 133rd Airlift Wing
SAINT PAUL, MINN --  Members of the 133rd Airlift Wing received a gripping presentation on the topic of resiliency during November drill from a man who is akin to dealing with personal hardships in one's life. Mr. Dave Roever, a Navy Vietnam Veteran, suffered severe injuries that left him unrecognizable after a phosphorous grenade exploded near his face. 

Roever's harrowing account of how he ultimately triumphed over both physical and mental obstacles is what he shares worldwide as a message of hope. The distinct scars that combat left on his face and body were only superficial compared to the battle he was fighting within - thoughts of ending his life was something Roever struggled with regularly when trying to get his life back together. His personal motto that he attributes to Sir Winston Churchill is "Never, Never, NEVER Give Up."

Roever's personal story of resiliency is something that airmen and service members alike must take to heart when faced with obstacles in their journey ahead. Never giving up hope, as daunting a problem may seem, is what every person must actively use to keep themselves physically fit and mentally strong.

Although most issues can be dealt with internally, there are times when military members must turn to each other to get through a spot when hope feels like it's slipping. The 133rd is good at being a family said Chief Master Sgt. Duke Lang, the 133rd's Master Resilience Trainer - "and when we say we are a family, we mean it." He goes further in saying that the stigma of feeling hopeless needs to be gone - when we are at the end of our rope we need to ask for help from our wingmen and family.

A few resources that military individuals can turn to are Family Assistance Centers, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network, Master Resilience Trainers, chaplain staff, supervisors and peers.