Make It Better gets bigger

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashley Williamson
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Since its commencement in November 2014, the Make It Better initiative has progressed from an idea to a robust program featuring more than 100 clubs. The initiative paved the way for Airmen with diverse interests and ideas to collaborate, create events, make connections, develop leadership skills and receive opportunities to improve themselves and the base.

With a goal of changing the base's reputation of having nothing to do, the MIB initiative was created to pull Airmen and their families together to make the base a more welcoming and active environment.

"The MIB is essential to this base, and the morale of its airmen," said Ryan Wurdinger, 4th Force Support Squadron Outdoor Recreation programmer. "... It offers those without the friends or means to meet people the chance to find the individuals who enjoy the same things. It is helping to create and maintain lifelong friendships, and that is a beautiful thing."

Wurdinger, who also tends bar at the Kitty Hawk Lounge, said she has seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of troubled Airmen who walk through her doors since the MIB program began. She added they have found new groups of friends through the MIB clubs who share their passion and interests.

The MIB program also tapped into the community by using various activities and hobbies that interest many, bringing Team Seymour and the Goldsboro community closer together through clubs, such as the Painting Club, the Anime club and many others.

For example, a recent Comic Expo, partnered with several clubs from the base and local businesses to bring their favorite characters and fantasy worlds to life. The event featured comic books, action figures and trading cards. Several vendors also dressed up as their favorite character to add to the overall theme of the event.

"I think that it has benefitted the base for the better, by bringing people with similar interests together to talk about an interest that they share, to get them out of their room playing games or watching TV and actually interacting with people which is one of the pillars of wellness that we are always talked to about," said Senior Airman Sher-Kona Malcom, 4th Force Support Squadron community programming and partnership office services specialist. "I think that these clubs and this whole campaign to make the base a better place are definitely doing just that."

The MIB campaign extended its reaches beyond Team Seymour's Airmen and out to the teens and retirees of the base.

To aid in coping with their military spouses deployments and other hardships, the MIB initiative hosted a youth camp for a week of resilience training to the base's teens with events that tested their mental, physical, spiritual and social resilience. The Make It Better Initiative 4 Teens reflected the base's Comprehensive Airman Fitness program.

"These skills work," said Tech. Sgt. Stan Williams, 4th Component Maintenance Squadron jet engine mechanic and assistant Make It Better 4 Teens program coordinator. "They basically saved my life and I think it's important that we pass these skills down to our younger kids so that maybe it'll help save someone else's life."

The annual Retiree Appreciation night is another example of how the MIB program branched out to make a difference in the community and include the veteran participation with on- and off-base programs available to them.

"I think the Make It Better retiree initiative is a great opportunity to give back some of our knowledge to the young Airmen and work alongside them," said retired Master Sgt. Steve Lazarus. "... I look forward to learning more about it and seeing it grow."

Starting from a few small clubs to impacting an entire community, the MIB campaign has soared.

"The MIB program has grown immensely since it started; there is so much more recognition of the program and more people are joining and making connections with people with similar interests every day," said Malcom. "It has affected the base positively because it's bringing some of these people of out the dorms and into a group setting and creating friendships. I think the program is amazing and is bringing this base together in so many ways."