Photo By Jerry Hewitt | A 104th Fighter Wing Airman browses a list of available resources, February 1, 2024, ...... read more read more
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The 104th Fighter Wing’s wellness team plays a critical role in boosting morale and maintaining mission readiness through the vital resources and support they provide to Airmen and their families.
Consisting of a personal financial counselor, a wing psychological health director, a yellow ribbon support specialist, sexual assault victim advocates, and multiple on-base chaplains, the 104th FW’s wellness team is able to work together to promote mental, physical, social, financial, and spiritual wellness.
“The most important thing that we try to accomplish with creating the wellness center is for the members and their families to know that they can come in here anytime,” said Melanie Casineau, yellow ribbon support specialist. “Whether they need something or they don’t, or even if they just need a break from their day.”
By collaborating with helping agencies and non-profit organizations, the wellness team is further able to provide Airmen and their families with free food, snacks, clothing, books, and numerous other items and necessities whenever needed.
By partnering with Project New Hope, for example, wellness team Program Manager Lisa Potito helped create the Baby Barnes Initiative, which has currently provided over 200 baby baskets to families, providing them with free diapers, formula, clothing, toys, and more.
“We’re super fortunate here that our team all works together, and everyone is able to help each other out,” said Potito. “That is really how we’re able to provide all of this.”
The wellness team is also able to connect Airmen and their families with additional resources through hosting multiple events throughout the year. On January 18, 2024, the wellness team hosted its first ever Resource Rodeo, where over 200 Airmen and their families were able to enjoy a free meal, compete for donated raffle prizes, and speak with over 35 different vendors to learn what resources are available to them.
On February 24, 2024, the wellness team will be hosting the AHL hockey team Springfield Thunderbirds at Barnes ANGB for a meet and greet before they face off against the Providence Bruins later that night. In addition to providing Airmen free tickets for this event, the wellness team is also coordinating with over 25 military resources to attend and provide information on how they can help support Airmen and their families.
Through their collaboration and ability to work as a team, the 104th FW’s wellness team continues to find new and fun ways to boost morale and connect Airmen with valuable resources, which enables them to focus on accomplishing their mission.
“We all come from a different background but share the same goal, and we are a great team,” said Casineau. “You will not find another unit that has a wellness unit like this. We all try to see what works, what doesn’t work, or what else we are able to do to help.”
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2024 10:17 |
| Story ID: | 463275 |
| Location: | WESTFIELD, MA, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A closer look at the Barnes Air National Guard wellness team, by Jerry Hewitt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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