Osan A&FRC helps combat the holiday blues

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Terri Barriere
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  
** This article is the second installment in a series on "coping with the holiday blues" at Osan.

With Thanksgiving past and Christmas only two weeks away, the holiday season is officially underway. Although this time of year brings good tidings and joy for most, for others it brings feelings of loneliness and depression.

According to the Airman & Family Readiness Center here, these feelings are commonly referred to as the holiday blues and are not uncommon for servicemembers geographically separated from their friends and family.

"The holiday blues occur when people are away from their support structure, their friends and families," said Meghan Berg, A&FRC, supervisory community readiness consultant. "What we do at the A&FRC is try to rebuild this support structure while Airmen are stationed here."

Ms. Berg said the A&FRC offers many classes and seminars as a preventative measure so people have the information they need before a problem arises.

Among the many programs offered by the helping agencies at Osan is the A&FRC's newest initiative, Hearts Apart for The Unaccompanied Heart.

"Hearts Apart is a common program at deployable bases but is usually for families who have deployed members," Ms. Berg said . "But here, we're looking at it from a different perspective because during tour normalization we do not want to forget about unaccompanied Airmen. There are a lot of programs for families, so we want to make sure it is balanced.

The first Hearts Apart meeting took place in November and, according to Ms. Berg, has already proven to be a successful program.

"We started in November due to Thanksgiving being the first part of the holiday season and it being the Month of the Military Family - and the unaccompanied are certainly a part of the military family."

The Hearts Apart for the Unaccompanied Heart meets every first Thursday of the month and is a positive place for Airmen to come relax and feel appreciated.

"During Hearts Apart we provide a meal, fellowship and a support group for unaccompanied personnel," said Mr. Rashaud Smith, A&FRC director. "Members come together and talk about coping with being away from their friends and family and it is just another chance for us to offer tips and pointers on coping."

Mr. Smith said he always recommends staying connected as much as possible.
"Write letters, use webcams or send postcards, just stay in touch. Kids love letters," he said. "Send photos and share your Korean experience."

Ms. Berg said another way to help feel connected is to share a common goal.
Be it eating healthy or reading the same book, just pick something you can do apart but do together and that will help with the separation, she said.

Though a lot of emphasis is put on support during the holidays, Ms. Berg said they offer their programs year round. The A&FRC believes if an Airmen's personal life is balanced, they are more capable of performing the mission.

"It all boils down to making sure Airmen are personally ready," said Mr. Smith. "Personal readiness plus family readiness equals mission readiness. There is a direct connection between the three."

And while it is every Airman's job to successfully accomplish the mission, it is the A&FRC's mission to see to it the Airmen are taken care of.

"It is a very rewarding experience just knowing we are touching other people's lives," said Mr. Smith. "This is our passion and we love what we do."

Ms. Berg said their programs are their way of giving thanks to Airmen.

"We definitely appreciate what they sacrifice being away from friends and families, and the important thing is for them to know they are not alone," she said.

The next Hearts Apart meets Jan. 7 from 5-7 p.m. at the A&FRC. For more information on Hearts Apart or any other A&FRC program, call 784-5440.