Offutt consultant program helps ease stress

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amanda M. Dick
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  Offutt recently became one of 11 Air Combat Command bases to add a new military and family life consultant program designed to help meet the existing needs of active duty Airmen, guardsmen, reservists and their families.

This program helps Airmen and their families deal with stress caused by deployments and reintegration, among other things, and is offered through the Airman and Family Readiness Center.

Offutt began this program a few months ago. Here, consultants are on a 45-day rotation and are always available to help service members, said Billie Gaines, Offutt Airman and Family Readiness Center director.

Issues consultants can help with include: work/personal stress, parenting challenges and dealing with life changes.

Tech. Sgt. A.J. Bosker, 55th Wing Public Affairs media/external manager, said he went to see a consultant after receiving an assignment that would cause him to move away from his young daughter, separating them for long periods of time.

"I thought the consultant would be able to provide me with some ideas and suggestions on how to better explain the assignment and separation to my 5-year-old daughter," said Sergeant Bosker.
The sergeant said the environment was relaxing. After going over confidentiality ground rules, Sergeant Bosker, his ex-wife and the consultant began to talk about his new assignment with his daughter.

"[The consultant] spent the first part of the session helping us explain to our daughter the Air Force needs 'daddy' to work somewhere else for awhile to do an important job and I would still be able to see her and talk to her regularly," Sergeant Bosker said.

He said the consultant also suggested ways to help him stay in touch with his daughter and help them both cope with the distance.

Ms. Gaines said this program is not for therapy. The program is meant to give the person an outlet of expressing concerns with the consultant to help find a solution that best helps the person ease their stress and improve their daily life, she explained.

Team Offutt members can contact the Airman and Family Readiness Center at 294-4329 or on the MFLC cell phone at 650-6427. Office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; however, consultants can be contacted 24/7 via the MFLC cell phone.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense funds the program. Consultants keep discussions anonymous except when state, federal and military reporting protocol state otherwise for protection of the person.

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