Former TLR Command Chief speaks about resilience

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jayden Ford
  • 19th Airlift Wing

Team Little Rock hosted an event with guest speaker retired Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Brinkley, CEO of On The Brink Consulting, who spoke about the importance of resiliency to Airmen on base.

The visit from the former 314th and 19th Airlift Wing command chief — who spoke about topics such as being a part of a team, cutting out negativity, and expressing your feelings — was part of larger Resiliency Campaign Plan that 19th Airlift Wing leadership has initiated in order to promote resilience and build connectedness.

The discussion began with the importance of playing an active role in a team and why Airmen shouldn’t take a single second for granted.

“That breath you just took — 7,000 other people didn’t take,” Brinkley said. “You still have something that you have to be a part of, but if you make it about you then you’re going to have a problem.”

Brinkley then discussed a topic called pruning — cutting out the things that do not provide happiness.

­“Do you have people in your life that whenever you are around them, you feel less than?” Brinkley asked with a serious tone. “If you can’t bring me peace, don’t cost me peace. Don’t give energy to something that diminishes your value.”

Additionally, Brinkley moved on to discuss the importance of expressing feelings, having the courage to get help, and unplugging the extra things in life.

“When you have all this stuff plugged into you and all of it is counting on you — what happens when you burn out?” Brinkley inquired. “Everything associated with you burns out. You don’t have to be a chief to be stressed.”

Brinkley made it clear that although what was discussed could be considered quite heavy — he was there for the Airmen.

“I will never question what you all do for the Air Force,” Brinkley said. “What I will question is what you’re doing for yourself.”

Lastly, Chief Master Sgt. Justin Strain, 19th AW command chief, discussed how the talk affected him and grateful the wing was for Brinkley to come out as a key event in phase 1 of the RCP before the culmination at Oktoberfest on Oct. 4, 2019.

“One thing I’ve learned today is to make a difference in my own life,” Strain said. “Anytime we bring somebody out, we hope they help at least one person, and we believe he has done just that.”