Click, call or come forward: ANG resilience 'takes a village,' we're here to help

Photo By Master Sgt. George Roach | 1st Lt. Scott Dobson, a battle captain for Task Force Saber's Emergency Operations Center, stands with a few of the Pennsylvania National Guard mortuary affairs and fatality search and recovery team at the 1st City Troop National Guard Armory in Center City Philadelphia on April 25, 2020. These teams are trained to return our fallen warriors with the upmost honor, respect and dignity. That same level of professionalism will be used to support our fellow Pennsylvanians. Task Force Saber is preparing for a mortuary-affairs mission which entails assisting the local medical examiners from five Pennsylvania counties – Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Bucks, and Montgomery – in the transportation of remains to their central collection locations. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. George Roach)  

HORSHAM, PA, UNITED STATES

05.17.2020

Story by Senior Airman Timi Jones 

111th Attack Wing

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, this month holds more significance as many face challenges they’ve never seen before.

“Suicide numbers across the US are soaring,” said Maj. Tony Repic, 111th Attack Wing chaplain. “So we want to take care of you. We want to take care of each other.”

He stressed that taking care of oneself, one another, and staying connected is imperative.

“There’s some great [phone apps] that I recommend,” said Repic. “Zoom, Houseparty, FaceTime and things of that nature can still connect with your loved ones with.”

The chaplain's takeaway? Maintaining relationships, even while we are physically required to be apart, lends to protecting your mental health.

“In these trying times, you want to be accessing your social network,”said Mark Obenour, 111th Attack Wing director of psychological health. “We’re not meant to be individuals living by ourselves. We need to access more people around us to keep ourselves sane and functioning high.”

In addition to staying connected, there’s other recommendations for coping with stress.

“If you’re having difficulty in any of these areas: sleep, eating too much, maybe drinking too much, or too much caffeine, it creates more anxiety and doesn’t help us deal with the stressors that are hitting us right now with all of this change,” says Obenour. “Flexibility is the key and accessing people around you who can be helpful.”

The psychological health director's gist? Getting enough sleep, maintaining proper diet and exercise, managing social relationships and nurturing personal spirituality are some suggestions for coping during hard times.

However, service members and their families can never be reminded enough of the many resources available to them if they find they’re struggling with their circumstances. The 111th Attack Wing Public Affairs Office complied the following list of resources available to military members and their families (the list below is not arranged in chain-of-command or approved order. The list is not all-inclusive and does not replace the recommendations of healthcare professionals):

Emergency Rooms when in a suicide crisis or 911
Wing director of psychological health, [phone]
Chaplain Repic, [phone]
supervisors
Airman/Family Readiness Center, [phone] or https://www.111attackwing.ang.af.mil/Family-Readiness-Group/
Military One Source, 800-342-9647 or https://www.militaryonesource.mil/national-guard
family support centers, https://www.dhs.pa.gov/providers/Providers/Pages/Coronavirus-Child-Care.aspx and http://www.pa-home-visiting.org/pafamilysupport/
health and wellness centers, http://www.health.state.pa.us/mmrtk/dispensaries.aspx
Department of the Air Force Resilience, https://www.resilience.af.mil/
family and friends

Readers who have used any of the above resources, or others not listed, during the COVID-19 pandemic and want to share their story of resilience should contact the 111th ATKW Public Affairs Office at 215-323-7177 or [e-mail]

• Date Taken: 05.17.2020
• Date Posted: 05.20.2020 17:17
• Story ID: 370165
• Location: HORSHAM, PA, US