A neat flying metaphor — that of the wingman — is used in the 2005 essay "I Am a Wingman" by Lt. Col. John Stea and Maj. Nicole Frazer to encourage airmen in watching out for one another's mental health, especially during stressful times:

A wingman has specific duties. The perspective of the wingman is clearly different. As in flight, no one person can be aware of all the obstacles and dangers in the environment. Therefore, the wingman complements the lead pilot.

In a wingman culture, a wingman can see the "big picture" and recognize changes in a peer's behavior. The wingman can see how the stress in a person's life relates to his or her functioning. A wingman might be able to help that person change the impact of the stressor, or change the source of the stress.

The wingman culture is one in which no matter where you are, at home or deployed, coming to the aid of a peer in need is paramount. ...

It's reminiscent of fellow runner Stephanie Fonda's thoughts after her first ultra (2012-11-17 - Stone Mill 75k): "Always stop to help a fellow traveler. Always." and "We cannot do great things alone; we need others to support us." as well as the Boy Scout promise, "Help other people at all times."

(cf. HowToSucceed (2005-03-11), CareerManagement (2005-06-28), Networking (2010-10-26), Big Ideas (2012-05-20), ...) - ^z - 2013-03-01