181st IW holds Airman and Family Recognition Day May 4

Photo By 1st Lt. Jonathan Padish | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Joseph Friend, a member of the 181st Security Forces Squadron, 181st Intelligence Wing, Indiana Air National Guard, walks through a food line at Hulman Field Air National Guard Base, Ind., May 4, 2019. Friend was one of many 181st IW Airmen who recently deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and were recognized by the wing for their service. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Jonathan W. Padish)  

HULMAN FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, IN, UNITED STATES

05.05.2019

Story by Senior Airman Jonathan Padish 

181st Intelligence Wing

HULMAN FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ind. (May 5, 2019) — Popcorn, cotton candy and carnival rides. Throw in a tricycle relay race, and you have the makings of a very atypical drill weekend. May drill weekend has been different than most, though, but for good reason: the 181st Intelligence Wing opened its doors to Airmen and their families to welcome home recently deployed Airmen and say thanks to their loved ones for supporting their Airmen.

The 181st IW hosted Airman and Family Recognition Day as a way to say thanks for the efforts of its Airmen and the support of their families on May 4.

The event was designed to welcome home our recent deployers, said U.S. Air Force Maj. John F. Mutnansky, the commander of the 181st Security Forces Squadron, 181st IW, Indiana Air National Guard. It is a way for the wing to thank them for their service.

Airman and Family Recognition Day grew larger in scale as a way to show gratitude for the 181st IW Airmen who perform the around-the-clock work of the intelligence mission.

We realized we had not done any events to recognize our Airmen who have been conducting the year-round intelligence mission, so we wanted to recognize them for their constant support as well, said Mutnansky.

One of the main reasons for the festivities was to commemorate the scale of the 181st IW’s recent deployment in support of operations around the world.

“It’s been the largest deployment we’ve done in 10 years,” said Margaret Amos, the Airman & Family Readiness program manager for the 181st IW. “So we decided to recognize our deployers and our families.”

To be sure, deployments impact military families in various ways, so the 181st IW ensured the event focused on families and provided resources to empower them from a resiliency perspective.

“It’s a family day, and we’re a military family,” said Amos. “The 181st IW has a lot of community relationships. We brought in several different resource tables so families get to learn about what is out there to support their service member and their families. We had everything from federal government organizations like the Department of Veterans Affairs to community organizations. The real spearhead was the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who helped us with pretty much everything.”

To be sure, the 181st IW seeks to foster its relationships with the community as a National Guard unit.

“It’s a partnership,” said Amos. “In order to be successful in a community we have to have vision and develop all relationships. As a community, we have our families, and we also have our military families. Events like this help make that connection between the community and our military families. If we work as a team, together we’ll be successful in helping our Airmen and our families”

The support of the wing and the community did not go unnoticed by Airmen who had recently deployed.

“This shows the wing cares about supporting its people,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brennen L. Pilman, a heavy equipment operator assigned to the 181st Civil Engineer Squadron, 181st IW, Indiana ANG who recently deployed overseas in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. “It also shows how the wing gives thanks to people’s families for supporting the mission.”

Indeed, the 181st IW recognizes the efforts of its troops and the sacrifices of its military families in carrying out missions both at home and overseas. Airman and Family Recognition Day provided one of many ways for the wing to thank Airmen and their families for their service in and support of the war-fighting effort.

• Date Taken: 05.05.2019
• Date Posted: 05.05.2019 16:41
• Story ID: 320786
• Location: HULMAN FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, IN, US