Patrick, MacDill Reservists join forces for successful Yellow Ribbon Program

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Anna-Marie Wyant
  • 927th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ORLANDO, Fla. --  The 927th Air Refueling Wing from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and the 920th Rescue Wing from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., hosted a joint Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program at the Renaissance Hotel here Saturday and Sunday.

The YRP was initiated by the Secretary of Defense and mandated by Congress in 2008 to provide information, services, referral and proactive outreach programs to Reservists and Guardsmen and their dependents through all phases of deployment cycles. The program's goals are to prepare service members and their families for mobilization, sustain families during mobilization, and reintegrate service members with their families and communities upon return from deployment.

Approximately 70 Airmen from the 927th ARW, 920th RW and other various Guard and Reserve units attended the program and brought approximately 100 family members altogether. Maj. Lazette Bretthorst, the YRP resource advisor for Air Force Reserve Command, said family members were highly encouraged to attend the conference.

"A big part of this program is about integrating family members," Major Bretthorst said. "The families are just as much warriors on the home front as the deploying member is overseas. It's about education and ensuring they know what resources are available to them."

These resources might also be fellow Reservists or spouses who meet at the conference and build their own support system for each other, said Master Sgt. Kim Sisco, the YRP coordinator for the 927th ARW. She stressed the importance of Airmen and especially their families networking at YRP.

"Spouses don't even have a point of contact at the base when their loved one is deployed a lot of times," she said. "It can be intimidating, and we try to take that out of it. If a spouse comes here and makes one friend, the program is successful."

Instead of having the conference at Patrick or MacDill, Major Bretthorst said Orlando was chosen for its centralized location between the two bases and its family-oriented environment.

"Having [YRP] at this venue minimizes the stress on wing representatives and promotes maximum participation," she said. "We can pull our resources together for pre and post-deployers."

Service members attended the conference in business casual attire instead of military uniforms to ensure attendees felt comfortable getting information and asking questions, said Sergeant Sisco.

"Taking the uniforms off breaks down barriers," she said. "[Airmen] are more likely to seek out the help they need out of uniform, such as reaching out to counselors or chaplains. They feel more free to ask questions or get information on things like financial advice."

In addition, Tech. Sgt. Amy Schmid, the YRP coordinator for the 920th RW, said the lack of uniforms promotes a friendly vibe for all in attendance, regardless of rank or job title.

"The wing commanders are here not only as attendees, but also to thank [wing members] for being here," Sergeant Schmid said. "It's a low-stress environment."

Program attendees could choose three "breakout sessions" to attend each day. There were many family-oriented sessions, including Keys to Communication, Coping with Separation and Return, and Marriage and Family Enrichment. Other sessions included tips for personal finances, anger management, and massage therapy. Another session combined Military One Source, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, American Red Cross and TriCare to brief on their organizations' offerings for deployed service members and their families. To the delight of many attendees, none of the briefers were allowed to use Power Point presentations.

"We want the program to be done in an interactive way, so we make sure the briefers know they cannot use Power Point slides," Sergeant Schmid said.

Part of this interaction involved competing in trivia games and races, giving and receiving neck and back massages, and winning prizes and gift cards. Capt. Peter Olsen, a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot with the 63rd Air Refueling Squadron at MacDill, said the interactive program was helpful for him and his wife, Aimee, who attended the program with him.

"It's really good for my wife to hear the information first-hand," Captain Olsen said. "That way she gets a chance to really understand the benefits offered."

Captain Olsen, who attended another YRP in August, which was less than three months before his 60-day deployment, said he enjoyed the information and family time YRP offered.

"It's definitely a good thing," he said of the program. "I deployed three times on my own, and it would have been nice to have this."

Mrs. Olsen agreed that the program is worthwhile. She said she particularly liked the briefings specifically geared toward married couples.

"I felt like the marriage reintegration briefing was really of value," Mrs. Olsen said. "The Spouses Forum was good because it gave us a chance to see what went well during the deployment, and what resources are available to us."

While Captain and Mrs. Olsen see the benefits of attending YRP, others might not. YRP coordinators continue to stress how important it is for Airmen and their leaders to recognize the significance and positive impact of YRP.

"Leadership has to understand the value of the program," Sergeant Sisco said. "If they don't, their Airmen might not get what they need."