NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain -- Along Spain’s southern coast the 725th Air Mobility Squadron is turning the unique pressures at Naval Station Rota into a testing ground for a more deliberate approach to developing resiliency.
“This squadron has some of the best Airmen in the Air Force, and I want to make sure they have every resource available to them,” said Lieutenant Colonel Brad Seehawer, 725th AMS commander.
Centered on connection, belonging and the needs of Airmen and their families, the squadron’s plan is striking at the heart of specific stressors facing its personnel.
As an Air Force tenant unit at a Spanish-controlled naval station, the 725th AMS operates without a broader Air Force community. World events greatly impact the flow of mobility aircraft through NAVSTA Rota which can shift operational tempo dramatically. Family members often struggle to find employment in Spain and homes off base can feel isolated.
"We asked ourselves what we could do to help Airmen through tough times and improve their connectedness," Seehawer said. "So, we looked at the Air Force resilience curriculum."
The Air Force adopted its curriculum in 2010 from an Army program. Initially designed to help Soldiers manage post-traumatic stress disorder, it evolved to equip service members with practical skills for navigating a broader range of stressful situations. Today, it is known as the Integrated Resilience model.
"We started thinking about how we could use this curriculum as the jumping off point for expanding resilience into something more applicable to the squadron," Seehawer said.
The result was the 725th AMS Resilience Plan, a 14-page strategy outlining how the squadron is aiming to improve the connectedness and belonging of Airmen and their families.
Organized around key focus areas like physical fitness, emotional intelligence and grit, the plan treats resilience not as a stand-alone requirement, but something woven into everyday squadron life. The plan outlines goals tied to tangible actions like small group discussions, spouse and family events, sleep, nutrition and even social media.
“I love what you’ve done here, and I love this plan,” said Colonel Angela Polsinelli, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing commander, on a recent visit to the squadron. “It gives you measurable goals for an immeasurable concept. No single action solves all challenges, but added together, these focused efforts build more resilient Airmen.”
Master Resilience Trainers (MRTs) lead Air Force resilience curriculum and are assisted by Resilience Training Assistants (RTAs). Lt Col Seehawer became an RTA in 2022 and an MRT in 2024. He is leveraging his training to develop a program tailored to the exact needs of his personnel.
“Taking care of Airmen the right way is the most important thing we do,” said Chief Master Sgt. Simon Fancher, 521st AMOW command chief. “The structure, emphasis, empowerment and characteristics of this plan make it so unique from anywhere else. This is the most comprehensive program I’ve seen at the squadron, group or wing level.”
It’s one thing to have the squadron’s plan on paper, but putting it into action requires the work of experienced personnel like Master Sgt. Justin Aguilar, the lead MRT for the squadron.
“My passion for resilience stems from a simple truth,” Aguilar said. “What makes or breaks a unit is how we connect with one another.”
The 725th AMS Resilience Plan extends beyond the core DAF curriculum. Squadron MRTs have been certified to teach parts of the Navy Warrior Toughness program, recently embedded with Air Force Deployed Transition Centers at Ramstein Air Base, and implemented BOUNCE, a teen-focused version of resilience training.
The team also leverages internal social media and the commander’s Key Support Liaison (KSL) program to highlight personnel and ensure it isn’t only Airmen who feel connected.
“I’m most proud of the Key Support Liaison program,” Seehawer said. “We have more dependents than military members here. Not every spouse wants to be involved in squadron activities, but we want them to at least know who to contact if they need help. We try to think of our KSLs like Ombudsmen, the Navy equivalent of the program.”
Aguilar’s wife, Arianna Pillado-Aguilar, has been instrumental in the success of the program, offering continuity as the squadron restructured the KSL program to align with the resiliency plan.
“People do not always recognize the impact their actions can have on those around them,” Pillado-Aguilar said. “I like to believe that I have made a difference for the 725th. Maybe not in grand gestures, but ensuring that Airmen and families know they are seen, heard and never alone.”
Her goal to support Airmen and families has not gone unnoticed. In 2025, she was recognized as the 521st AMOW’s KSL of the year for her efforts in revitalizing the program while her husband was recognized as Air Mobility Command's Phoenix Warrior Sponsor of the Year.
Their work directly impacted the squadron’s 2025 climate survey which saw an 11% increase in morale and a 13% increase in unit cohesion—stats the unit hopes to continue to improve in 2026 and beyond.
“We're partnering with the Navy Chaplain's office to build safeTALK into our Foundations courses," Seehawer said. “We're using commercial apps to promote Mindfulness. We're sending our Airmen to get civilian certifications in nutrition and sleep science to replicate the services provided in Guardian Resilience Teams.”
Units have no shortage of resources available to forge stronger, more resilient teams. Often, it just requires one person taking initiative to put them into action.
“Building a strong organizational foundation requires us to foster trust, create safe spaces for open dialogue and equip our team with the emotional intelligence needed to navigate high-tempo environments,” Aguilar said. “When we invest in our people this way, the warrior mindset follows naturally.”