Critical days of summer highlighted at next CAF Day Published May 13, 2013 OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- The next quarterly 55th Wing Comprehensive Airman Fitness Day kicks off at the Bennie Davis Maintenance Facility's Dock 1 on May 23 at 8 a.m. Col. John Rauch, 55th Wing commander, will provide opening comments and introduce Officer Chris Abbott of the Bellevue Police Department and Jim McGee from the Nebraska Department of Roads, who will provide safety messages. "Last year the Air Force consolidated Wingman Day and Safety Day into a Comprehensive Airman Fitness Day," said Jack Sweet, 55th Wing community support coordinator. "This new approach gives Airmen the opportunity to learn about the four pillars of CAF -- mental, physical, spiritual and social -- as well as receive important safety messages, all in one day." Sweet helped organize Offutt's CAF Day along with Capt. Thomas Borseth, 55th Operations Support Squadron, who worked closely with each squadron's POC to ensure schedules met the true intent of the program. Beyond the initial briefing, Airmen will have the opportunity to participate in CAF Day sessions specifically tailored for their squadron throughout the day. In addition, squadron CAF day events have been specifically tailored to allow Airmen time to attend the Safety & Community Information Expo, which takes place at the Offutt Fire Department from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. "This was not an easy task, but the squadron POCs did an excellent job," Borseth said. With May 23 being the official start of the Critical Days of Summer, this CAF Day is the perfect time to provide Airmen and their families with the opportunity to receive excellent safety information to help them prepare for the upcoming summer activities, said Tech. Sgt. Jack Tucker, 55th Wing Safety. "There will be all kinds of safety information and lots of fun activities for the kids," he added. "The Offutt 5/6 Network and the Fire Fighters Association will have a burger burn and serve up plenty of delicious hamburgers and hotdogs for all to enjoy." According to Tucker, the Air Force experiences the most severe and fatal mishaps during these warm temperate months. This is mainly due to an increase in sports, recreational and high risk activities like riding a motorcycle. "Unfortunately almost all of these mishaps could have been prevented by the victim," he said. "Poor decision making, lack of situational awareness and no regard for personal risk management are usually contributing factors. This is why the Air force refers to the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the Critical Days of Summer." He added that it is absolutely crucial that all Airmen see themselves as Wingman. The Wingman concept is a strong pillar of the mishap prevention program. "Supervisors are the first line of defense and the most valuable advantage in regards to our Airmen's safety," he said. "A good supervisor will always be involved and will go above and beyond to ensure their Airmen receive the necessary tools and training. When it comes to long distance travel, road trips and high risk activities, expect the unexpected. Have a solid safety plan and have an even better back up plan and practice it. This may save your life or someone else's." Fore more information on CAF Day events, contact your squadron or group CAF Day POC.