Wake up and smell the change

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  I've been dwelling on one of my favorite sayings lately. It just won't get out of my head. I see it in civilian and military worlds. I see it in the young and old, the mild and the wild.

They say the only thing constant in life is change. There's no doubt this statement is true, especially for military personnel and their families.

It is imperative to understand how to deal with the ever-changing environment for all services.

For some, this understanding comes more natural, as with those who have the go-with-the-flow personality or those who have been with the military long enough to have realized that change will follow those in uniform wherever they go.

For others, dealing with a constantly changing environment is hard, to say the least. The pressures accompanying the many tasks needed to make a permanent-change-of-station move, deploy, retrain or any other change can be too daunting for those who prefer a more stable living environment.

For these people, it is essential to recognize the resources available to all servicemembers. At bases worldwide, there are support networks, classes, workshops and information set specifically in place for the military and the military family.

Of these resources, I have been able to encounter many, as the public affairs career field allows the opportunity to correspond with all base agencies. This allows us more of an understanding of them to be better able to notify others of the base agency's current mission and to assist in the announcement of new programs and resources for the military members and their dependents.

All of the base agencies have a purpose and all are just waiting for you to utilize them. This includes the Health and Wellness Center, Airman and Family Readiness Center, Family Advocacy, Chapel and Education Center, to name a few. It takes only a short visit to these organizations to find how they can help you. Or, for basic information you may go to http://public.fairchild.amc.af.mil/newcomers/index.asp to see what they are all about before heading there.

Each of the organizations share one common aspect of the mission: to provide consistent assistance for the often inconsistent life of the servicemember.