Photo By Sgt. Samantha Stoffregen | Family Readiness Group Leader for 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade...... read more read more
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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - “Your Soldier will go through changes; you’ll go through changes,” said Tina Hossfeld, as she addressed spouses at the unit’s reintegration brief at the Family Resource Center April 7. “Each deployment and homecoming is different because you’re at a different place in life every time.”
Hossfeld, who is preparing to welcome home her husband, Lt. Col. Christopher Hossfeld, commander of 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), from their fourth deployment together, said there’s a wealth of resources out there for families to tap in to, they just don’t always know how to find them.
With the help of Task Force Always First chaplain, Maj. Dan Urquhart, and several military and family life consultants from the Bastogne brigade, Hossfeld, who is also the “No Slack” family readiness group leader, put together a reintegration brief for spouses to give them the information on agencies on Fort Campbell that can help make the transition smoother.
“This meeting was brought up by one of my FRG leaders who had done reintegration [briefs] and asked if we do this here,” Hossfeld said. “I think it’s a great idea, I just didn’t know Fort Campbell did it.”
Hossfeld explained that she knew the Soldiers deployed were doing one of their side after talking with her husband, so she wanted to do something similar here.
“I want the [spouses] to be more prepared,” Hossfeld said. “I think if we can give them more tools for their toolbox they will better and that’s going to be the best asset you can give them or provide for them.”
Both Urquhart and Hossfeld told spouses to remain flexible, have patience, and most importantly, to not feel alone.
“We are here to help the families know what to expect during the deployment, but also during the welcome home ceremony and the transition in their reintegration back home.” Urquhart said. “I hope spouses walk away with a positive attitude knowing that this can be a good experience and not a negative experience.”
Urquhart added that he hopes that they realize there are resources out there to help them through this process of reintegration.
Hossfeld said that there are more than 500 spouses going through the reintegration process, so no one should feel alone.
“This brief is giving spouses information so that they know they aren’t alone and that what they are feeling when the guys come back is something that 90 percent of the people there are feeling too,” Hossfeld said.
Spouses walked away from the reintegration brief with numerous outlets and agencies across Fort Campbell that can help them with issues ranging from warning signs for underlying problems, what to expect when children are involved and when to seek help.
“You’re not going to be able to deal with every crisis that comes along, but at least you know that there are people out there that can help you,” Hossfeld said.
Urquhart added that hopefully the families know that the battalion, the brigade, the division and the Army support them because it doesn’t always come across that way.
“Doing this sort of training at the Family Resource Center lets spouses know that the command cares about them,” Urquhart said. “It’s just one way of showing that we do care, we’re here to help you; you are not alone.”
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.02.2015 12:42 |
| Story ID: | 183266 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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