,
10
September
2018
|
15:10 PM
America/Chicago

New Initiative Stresses 'Wellness and Resilience' For Members

Lt. Col. Timothy Miner
Chaplain
Virginia Wing

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and September is National Suicide Prevention Month, underscoring CAP National Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Smith’s announcement of a new initiative – “Five Pillars of Wellness and Resilience” – aimed at ensuring CAP members handle life's challenges.

“The five pillars are Mind, Body, Relationships, Spirit and Family,” Smith said in a letter to CAP members. “They represent the focus areas that contribute to our personal level of ‘wellness.’ This personal wellness enables us to operate at our best, sustaining us during times of stress and making us resilient to the difficulties of life. This helps us to be successful as CAP volunteer Airmen.”

During September, Smith directed, all cadet and composite squadrons will teach a lesson on the Five Pillars to promote “living a life of wellness,” defined as living so that an individual has the best opportunities to achieve personal excellence – a CAP core value.

 

He also directed that every squadron will participate in a “Resiliency Down Day” in October, so all members can discuss wellness and ways to be resilient as individuals and as a unit.

The program was created by a national task force of experts from CAP operations, cadet programs, health services and the chaplaincy.

Leading the task force is Col. John M. Knowles, Middle East Region commander. “All five of the Pillars of Wellness are essential parts of maintaining a balanced and resilient lifestyle,” Knowles said.

The task force’s first products are the lesson plans and briefing slides for this month’s cadet training initiative. Later this month, adult-focused brochures and a website will be published.