Stay in the Fight: Building Mental Durability for Airmen

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In this episode of The Informed Airman, we dig into what it really means to be ready for the fight, and to stay in it.

Chief Vaden sits down with Capt Sam Alex, U.S. Air Force Clinical Psychologist, to break down the mental and emotional foundations every Airman needs to endure and perform under pressure.

Together they unpack:

How to build a strong psychological foundation that supports mission readiness.

What it means to be resistant and durable — not just resilient after the fact.

Why “coping ugly” can actually be a healthy, adaptive response when life hits hard.

How leaders can create environments where toughness includes transparency.

Capt Alex also shares insights from current research and key readings, including:

📘 The End of Trauma by George A. Bonanno

📄 Nature Human Behaviour: Resilience and Recovery After Stress

Whether you’re an Airman in the arena or a leader guiding others through it, this episode is about staying mission-ready: mind, body, and spirit.

🦅 🦬 Be the Buffalo. Face the Storm. Hard to Kill.