Photo By Airman Paden Henry | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Oscar Munoz-Saenz, right, 86th Maintenance Group...... read more read more
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RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Airmen and non-commissioned officers across Team Ramstein sat down for a focused, face-to-face mentorship in the first-ever Wings of Wisdom event at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Dec, 2.
Wings of Wisdom used a speed-mentoring format in which Airmen rotated to a new senior NCO every few minutes to have brief but purposeful discussions sharing their insight on planning professional objectives, personal goals, and elevating communication methods. The purpose was to give Airmen multiple viewpoints in one session, providing guidance and honest conversation.
Airman 1st Class Baldemar Campos, 86th Maintenance Operations Squadron maintenance scheduler, organized the event after being inspired by a maintenance chief, who held an informal sit-down with Airmen within the unit. He said the experience of having leadership taking time out of their day was an eye opening experience and how important it is to have true, honest human connection. The chief who did this, spoke without the rank but as a fellow Airman, and that moment stayed with Campos.
“He showed me what it felt like to be seen and heard,” Campos said. “To have someone high-ranking take time out of their day to talk to us and say, ‘You’re important,’ I wanted to give that to the Airmen across the wing.”
Senior NCO’s shared candid perspectives about Air Force life, career planning, cross-training, preventing burnout and the pressures of being a leader. The airmen had the benefit of being amongst a variety of senior NCO’s to share their different perspectives and give the opportunity for airmen to ask questions and get a point-of-view they wouldn’t usually see.
“Personal connection is essential to building trust and confidence, not just between ranks but also as human beings,” said Senior Master Sgt. Trevor J. Derr, 86th Maintenance Group quality assurance superintendent. “Trust is built faster in person than across an email or phone call. When Airmen can read the body language and perceive the sincerity of a mentor in front of them, it has the potential for them to open up about their struggles and goals. This fosters a deeper connection that electronic communication often struggles to achieve.”
The goal is for this program to become a quarterly event at the 86th Airlift Wing, to build and strengthen the relationship between airmen and leaders through a culture of engagement.
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.05.2025 04:30 |
| Story ID: | 553085 |
| Location: | RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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