Making a better warfighter

Tech. Sgt. Nick Boyle, 332nd Expeditionary Force Support Squadron NCO in charge of recreation, takes a look at the plot description of a book he will borrow at the Learning Resource Center Sept. 2, 2010, Joint Base Balad, Iraq. From fun reading to college education, the LRC helps make the deployed warfighter into smarter, better warfighters. Sergeant Boyle is a native of Chattanooga, Tenn., deployed from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler)

Making a better warfighter

Airman 1st Class Joseph Wiklanski, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron metals technician, reviews one of many study guides available at the Learning Resource Center Sept. 2, 2010, Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Deployed members can make strides toward civilian education degrees through College Level Examination Program, DANTES and online courses, which materials are readily available at the LRC. Airman Wiklanski is a native of Schaunburg, Ill., deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler)

Making a better warfighter

Staff Sgt. Jenny Moore (foreground), 332nd Expeditionary Force Support Squadron NCO in charge of fitness, and Master Sgt. Kevin Labudde, 332nd EFSS Community Flight Services superintendant, take a break during the duty day to relax at the Learning Resource Center Sept. 2, 2010, Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Being able to take a few minutes to flip through a magazine or newspaper helps keep members mentally fit to complete the mission. Sergeant Moore, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., is deployed from Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.; Sergeant Labudde, a native of Sterling Heights, Mich., is deployed from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler)

Smarter = Better: Keeping a fit mind to support the deployed mission

Published Sept. 6, 2010
By Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- "Can you imagine what I would do, if I could do all I can? ... Opportunities multiply as they are seized." - Sun Tzu

At Joint Base Balad, the 332nd Expeditionary Force Support Squadron's Learning Resource Center helps Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and civilians seize opportunities to do all they can with their minds while deployed.

"A mentally fit warfighter is a better warfighter," said Tech. Sgt. Jay Sundiam, 332 EFSS LRC NCO in charge. "We provide a quiet place for anyone that needs it for educational, professional or personal reasons. Everyone needs an avenue to relax the stress away or unwind to stay mentally fit."

This can be through finishing professional military education courses or a Community College of the Air Force degree to improve the "total warfighter" concept, or giving someone a rest with a book or magazine to catch their breath after a long day.

Many people at Balad help relieve educational stress by using the LRC to gain access to College Level Examination Program and DANTES study guides, or go online for classes using the LRC's computer lab - even in the middle of this fast-paced deployed world.

"This was my first time coming to the LRC," said Airman 1st Class Joseph Wiklanski, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron metals technician, a native of Schaunburg, Ill., deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. "I'm trying to knock out my CCAF while I'm here; maybe even take some firefighting certification courses for later. There is a very big selection of study materials here for all different types of courses."

Like the military's senior leaders who use their reading lists every year to develop their personnel's minds, many people at Balad know that a mentally fit warfighter is a better warfighter.

"Back when I first joined the military, when you deployed there were not a lot of things available for members to use for their education goals," said Sergeant Sundiam, a native of Daly City, Calif., deployed from the 86th Services Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. "The days of being deployed and being unreachable to any outside concerns are long gone - we have military career development courses and PME, or continuing civilian education or CCAF. These things require study time and a quiet place - which we all know is sometimes hard to find in a deployed environment."