Managing Chaos Published June 14, 2015 By Senior Airman Sean D. Smith Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The military experience is different for everyone. Life in the service is filled with situations unique to the uniform that force Airmen to adapt and learn to deal with their environment effectively. It's a demanding profession. Tech. Sgt. Justin Fuhler, 5th Medical Group NCO in charge of flight medicine, served as a combat medic during his last deployment and received the Bronze Star Medal for the role he played while there. As a combat medic, Fuhler accompanied convoys, providing medical assistance to anyone who needed it, but his work wasn't limited to medicine. "Each truck had a truck commander, a driver, a gunner and a dismount," Fuhler said. "If anything happens to one of those guys, the medic has to replace them." Fuhler's work is as fast-paced as it is diverse, even in garrison. His role is to be prepared for deployments, so his environment is constantly changing as he trains to stay prepared for whatever might come his way. As a medical professional, Fuhler is accustomed to pressure. "When it comes to going out in a deployed environment, sometimes we have a few days' notice, sometimes a day, sometimes it's only an hour," Fuhler said. "It's just something you have to deal with." Fuhler has a particularly demanding job, but all Airmen have to find ways to deal with the stressors of the mission. "When it comes to handling stress and excelling, it's something you have to take one step at a time," Fuhler said. "The first step is always to get good at your job, which is something that happens over time." Adversity in life can affect performance in the workplace and the problem isn't limited to medical career fields. Fuhler said that balance is the key to managing chaos that can impact the mission. "A solution can be something as simple as a hobby that counters whatever's giving you trouble," Fuhler said. "Or even just time with family. Another way is self-improvement, finding something that you want to progress in, whether it's education or a second language, something where you can stay busy in a positive way." While Fuhler prescribes balance in life for improving mental health, when asked about improving quality of life through physical health, his suggestion was simple. "Hand washing," Fuhler said. "It doesn't have to be serious illness, but the spread of germs degrades mission integrity almost more quickly than anything else. You have to take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Doing everything you can not to get sick and not to get other people sick is a great place to start."