Season is a chance to spread cheer to Airmen - especially those who won’t be home for holidays Published Dec. 16, 2009 By Ed Shannon Air Mobility Command Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- The crisp December air, colorful and bright decorations, and hustle and bustle of people shopping at stores during the holidays bring a sense of anticipation and excitement for some people but feelings of loneliness and stress for others. Air Mobility Command officials believe the season provides an opportunity to spread cheer to Airmen, especially to men and women who won't be home for the holidays. AMC provides numerous programs, facilities and morale-enhancing activities year round to maintain their quality of life, health and well-being. "The Scott Chapel's number one priority is Warrior Care," said 1st Lt. Michael McDonald, Scott AFB dorm chaplain, who feels a special affinity for the Airmen which is why he enjoys working in the dorms. "During the holidays is an especially important time to spend with our Airmen." Wing chaplains are coordinating holiday activities at their respective wings. The Scott Chapel set up several events before and during the holidays, including a trip to the City Museum in St. Louis, an ice skating trip to Forest Park, Mo., on Dec. 26 and a ski trip for dorm Airmen at Hidden Valley Ski Lodge in St. Louis in January. At McConnell, the chapel set up a holiday luau, caroling and an informal Christmas Day party, building on a very successful Thanksgiving Day meal in the Airmen Ministry Center and Dorm Day Room where 21 chapel volunteers cooked and served 103 dorm residents. Charleston AFB's chapel arranged additional ministry events for its single Airmen during the holidays, including a party and gift exchange; a visit to James Island to enjoy the festival of lights; Christmas dinner for Airmen and families unable to go home and a New Years Eve fellowship and prayer gathering. "The Chaplain Corps has a motto: 'Visible Reminder of the Holy,' and by being in the middle of people's lives, I am able to compassionately care and even love those who I come into contact on a daily basis," Chaplain McDonald said. Connecting with Airmen is what Airmen need, according to Ken Sorg, community services branch chief for AMC's Directorate of Manpower, Personnel and Services. "I'm a big advocate for not just doing things for Airmen, but engaging Airmen," Mr. Sorg said. "I think we should encourage them to volunteer and be a part of our programs, too." He said commanders, supervisors and co-workers have the opportunity to engage with Airmen each day. "We must listen to the Airmen - learn what they are looking for and encourage them to take action," said Mr. Sorg. Force Support Squadrons throughout the command offer tremendous opportunities for people to stay busy during the holidays and year round, he said. In fact, many Airmen take part time jobs or volunteer at a services facility. "In AMC Force Support Squadrons, half of the employees are either service members or military dependents," Mr. Sorg said. "Because the holidays are a very busy time of year in our FSS activities, the managers at each facility would more than welcome them as employees or volunteers. It's a great way to meet people and be part of a completely different team other than their active duty team." Mr. Sorg emphasized that these opportunities are available 52 weeks a year. "That's an important point - we're not trying to reach out just during the two-week holiday period," he said. "We're here for them all year and need them all year." Citing a few examples of what's available at AMC FSS facilities, Mr. Sorg recommends Airmen visit their particular base FSS website for listings. "If I had the opportunity to point to only one FSS direction, it would be to Outdoor Recreation," he said. "Outdoor Rec offers activities and opportunities unique to an Airman's particular base." For example, some AMC bases are located in areas where snow skiing, rock climbing or cave exploring is popular. However, while Airmen engage in holiday activities and events, the AMC Safety Office reminds them to be safe during the holidays. "We've all been working very hard, and the holidays provide us the opportunity to spend well-deserved time away from work," said Mark Erpelding, Ground Safety Division chief, for the AMC Safety Office. "We want everyone to enjoy themselves, but to use good risk management in their activities." Mr. Erpelding said many Airmen will attend parties during the holidays, and he cautions them to be smart and safe. If people consume alcohol, they need to have a plan - have a designated driver. And it's wise to have a back-up plan ready, too. Sadly, AMC has experienced the same number of fatalities in the first two months of fiscal year 2010 as it saw in all of fiscal year 2009. "Air Force wide, the number 1 cause of fatalities is traffic mishaps," said Mr. Erpelding. "In AMC, we've lost four Airmen since Oct. 1 in vehicle mishaps. Contributing factors in each incident included excessive speed, alcohol and failure to negotiate a curve." While the Safety message is for all Airmen and their families, statistics show that the 18-26 year age group is where we lose the majority of our Airmen, Mr. Erpelding said. Commanders and supervisors need to be involved with their Airmen so they understand their holiday plans. "Commanders and supervisors should know their Airmen's travel plans," Mr. Erpelding said. "When they approve leave, they need to ask about the person's travel plans - are the plans safe and logical - do they allow for adequate sleep before travel and for rest stops during long journeys?" Mr. Erpelding said commanders and supervisors should provide a good safety pre-departure briefing that includes tips for trip planning, condition of vehicle, and they should encourage Airmen to know the weather conditions along their route of travel and final destination then plan accordingly. The Safety Office suggests an Air Force Safety Center website located on the Air Force Portal called the Travel Risk Planning System or TRiPS at https://crcapps2.crc.army.mil/TRiPS/af/login.aspx. The website is a tool commanders and supervisors can use in a pre-departure safety briefing and Airmen can use to safely plan their trip. It asks several questions such as the person's age, type of vehicle, seatbelt use, weather conditions, rest stops, and how much sleep the driver will have before the trip, for example, and then calculates the information into a risk level. The AMC Surgeon General's Office suggests a handful of websites that commanders and supervisors can access to help Airmen facing stress during the season or holiday blues. The Leaders Guide for Managing Personnel in Distress site at www.airforcemedicine.afms.mil/leadersguide includes a key word index for a variety of issues that may be of particular concern, including work stress, suicide, alcohol issues and others. Lt. Col. John Jorgensen, AMC Mental Health Consultant, also recommends the Military OneSource website at https://www.militaryonesource.com as a resource for commanders and Airmen. Military OneSource offers a variety of tools and links in many subjects with which Airmen may be involved, including relationships, finance and legal, and moving and relocation. Other links available for commanders include the Air Force Suicide Prevention Program at https://www.afms.mil/afspp; Air Force Services at www.usafservices.com; and Air Force Readiness Edge at https://www.afmc-mil.wpafb.af.mil/singman.htm. So with winter's arrival, come opportunities to spread holiday cheer. For Scott consolidated dorm manager Staff Sergeant Shan Willis, properly caring for Airmen is more than a command focus area - it is a special experience. "Sometimes it's much more than asking an Airman how they are doing," Sergeant Willis said. "It's much more than that. These people we share a common uniform with become a family. "We all need to watch out for this family as we would for our family at home."