A New Wingman Week Published May 4, 2015 By Senior Airman Sean D. Smith Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Wingman week is less than a month away, and with a lineup of more than thirty events, it's not going to be like any of the Wingman events that Minot Air Force Base has hosted before. "There can be so much mission fatigue," said Cindy Whitesell, community support coordinator. "People do such a great job, and they are proud of what they do, but people can get so tired." This Wingman week will take a new approach that's intended to help Airmen recharge and to reframe the Wingman concept. "Wingman days were becoming 'Oh, we have to go do that again, it's Wingman day, mandatory fun,'" Whitesell said. "We want to provide a whole different agenda where commanders will feel like we're providing something that their Airmen would want to be engaged in." The lineup for May 18-21 is diverse, but in the end it's all focused on resiliency and Airman wellness. One of the speakers during the week will be Mimi Donaldson, a high-profile speaker with over twenty years of experience who favors sports metaphors. Donaldson balances humor and wisdom to give rousing speeches aimed at helping people combat stress and persevere through difficult times. "Great speakers can have so much impact because the message doesn't stop when they're finished talking," Whitesell said. "The conversation continues with the Airmen, and positive messages go beyond the theater, beyond the audience." Also visiting to speak will be Scott Burrows, a former college football player who was paralyzed from the waist down. He now speaks to more than 200,000 people a year, presenting a message of vision, mindset and grit. Both Burrows and Donaldson will give presentations during the week, and they'll also go out to units to engage with Airmen directly. "We want to offer something that's better than what we've seen in the past," Whitesell said. "Something that Airmen are going to enjoy, messages that will resonate with them that they're going to get something out of. We want them to walk away from these speakers, and this week, with a new perspective on the mission and the Air Force they live in." Speakers and briefings are only a fraction of what will be going on during Wingman week, but their messages of resilience will set the tone for the rest of the week. The full Wingman week lineup will be available on the What's Up @ Minot calendar at www.minot.af.mil.