Taking Care of Airmen Published June 28, 2016 By Tech. Sgt. Nic Kuetemeyer 180th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Swanton, Ohio -- Military life is often stressful. As a result, there are a vast number of resources to assist Airman during a time of need. The most important resource however, is those to the left and right - fellow Airmen. On February 27, 2016, at 9:30 p.m., Maj. Peter Drury, a chaplain with the 180th Fighter Wing in Swanton, Ohio, received a call informing him that a family member of a deployed Airman had a life-threatening medical emergency. Feeling the call to service, he immediately drove over half an hour to meet the Airman's family member at the hospital. "I met her at the emergency room and stayed with her until she was transferred to the ICU and stabilized," said Drury. "First Sgt. Connolly, the 180FW first sergeant, who was deployed with the Airman, worked with the Red Cross and Ms. Judy York, the 180FW family readiness officer, to get the service member back home as soon as possible." Two days later, the Airman arrived home and was able to be with his family member throughout recovery. "The main takeaway is that we take care of our Airmen and their families," said Drury. "We couldn't do what we do without everyone; it requires coordination of care that is truly genuine." Taking care of people is the number one priority within the Air Force. The core values provide a compass for all members of the Air Force family - officer, enlisted, and civilian; active, reserve, and retired; senior, junior, and middle management; civil servants; uniformed personnel; and contractors. They are for everyone to read, to understand, to live by, and to cherish. Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. The core values are much more than minimum standards. They remind us what it takes to get the mission done. They inspire us to do our very best, at all times. They are the common bond among all comrades in arms, and they are the glue that unifies the force and ties us to the great warriors and public servants of the past. "Chaplain Drury's actions exemplify the Air Force core values, his actions allowed a service member peace of mind during a trying time," said Col. Craig Baker, commander of the 180th Fighter Wing. "Looking out for Airman is extremely important, not just on the job but in all aspects of life," said Drury. "It takes all aspects to maintain readiness. It takes a family's dedication, not just the service member, for them to be [effective] they have to know and trust that their families are taken care of."