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More than 100 Airmen and family members attended the 105th Airlift Wing Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program’s pre- and post-deployment event at the HNA Palisades Premier Conference Center in Palisades, New York Nov. 5, 2017.
YRRP events are mandatory for all Guardsmen and reservists who are preparing to deploy or returning from deployment. The Airmen present were made up of a mixture of some who were preparing to deploy to various locations and those returning.
Airmen and their families were able to meet face-to-face with a number of service providers, learn about their rights and benefits before, during and after deployment, draft legal documents like wills, and participate in a number of breakout sessions revolving around everything from maintaining healthy relationships with spouses to meditation and mindfulness.
YRRP Coordinator Vianney Martinez said she wanted to move away from a “death-by-PowerPoint” format and allow participants to guide their own experience.
“I did my homework on the event. I looked at all past agendas, I looked at the evaluation forms—the comment cards people filled out,” Martinez, who is a Navy veteran, said. “Yes, I have a list of required resources I have to provide to you, but how I provide those to you could be a little different.”
Participants were able to choose from a wide variety of breakout sessions following the keynote speaker, Erik Engel.
Staff Sgt. Victor Javier, a supply specialist assigned to the 105th, said he was happy to make use of the free legal assistance to draft a power of attorney. He said having it at the YRRP allowed him to save time and money.
Airmen and family members were also free to speak with the many representatives of different private and public organizations like the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Vet 2 Vet peer group program and the Department of Veterans Affairs between sessions.
“I wanted to customize resources for them, so if they live in a different state, like New Jersey, well then I’m going to make sure they have all their New Jersey contacts,” Martinez said.
Martinez said she thought the event was a success and she began receiving positive feedback almost immediately.
Javier has deployed in the past and said this event was an improvement over other YRRPs he has attended.
“It was better organized,” Javier said. “I like the way they broke it down so you could go to whatever you felt like you needed to.”
Martinez said she plans on getting Airmen more involved in the planning phase of future events so they can be tailored to the needs of future groups—whether they want a job fair type event, an education-focused one, or something else entirely.
She said that she had one goal she strived for with the recent YRRP event and it’s something she will continue to pursue.
“I didn’t want anyone walking away from the event feeling like they were alone,” Martinez said. “I wanted them to leave knowing there is a team to help them with whatever their needs may be.”
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2017 09:07 |
| Story ID: | 255244 |
| Location: | NEWBURGH, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The 105th AW hosts Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, by SSgt Julio Olivencia Jr, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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