New resilience program aims to assist struggling employees

  • Published
  • By Kendahl Johnson
  • 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

On Aug. 14, Hill Air Force Base will officially roll out the Community Resilience Program (CRP), a new initiative aimed at providing struggling civilian employees referrals and resources for improving quality of life.

The program replaces Wingman Advocates, 15-year program that began in 2007 in an effort to stem what was at the time a high suicide rate among civilian maintenance workers.  Advocates are embedded within Ogden Air Logistics Complex to provide information and assistance to workers who might not know where to turn, especially in times of crisis.

Ron McAtee, CRP manager, said the Wingman Advocate program assisted a lot of employees through difficult times over the years. The new program will be similar to the former program, but it will realign with other support functions and helping agencies, and will eventually expand outside the ALC into the 75th Air Base Wing and other organizations. 

“Community Resilience Coordinators will also be embedded in the ALC and will continue to assist both employees and leaders with referrals and resources to make tomorrow better than today for many people who may be struggling,” McAtee said. “We are going to make this a successful transition and continue to be present, visible, and engaged to assist anyone in need.”

CRP goals include providing referral support and increasing awareness of resources, enhancing connectedness to the mission and amongst personnel and providing support to unit leaders in enhancing organizational climate.

McAtee said the embedded coordinators will not only market installation and community resources, but they will focus on prevention and addressing potential problems before they occur, in part by implementing resiliency training. They will also assist leaders in recognizing trends and identifying resources to address organizational climate concerns.

Initially there will be four coordinators embedded in the ALC, with plans to hire four more individuals who will embed in the ABW and other units.