SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Airmen and Guardians at Peterson and Schriever Air Force Bases have access to a bevy of resources to improve their lives through helping agencies.
Helping agencies develop plans to integrate and implement community outreach and prevention programs for Airmen and Guardians to remain physically, mentally, spiritually and financially fit to accomplish their missions.
The helping agencies include Airmen and Family Readiness Center, Equal Opportunity, Family Advocacy Program, health promotions, the Chaplain Corps and a plethora of others.
“Our Airmen and Guardians can know that our helping agencies and support services care about them and their quality of life,” said Jessica Schroeder, Peterson AFB community support coordinator. “We’re here as an avenue to hear those quality-of-life concerns and challenges and then address them from that holistic perspective and elevate them up to leadership as necessary.”
Jan Devitt, Schriever AFB community support coordinator said the Air Force created helping agencies to help Airmen, and now Guardians, with their own lives and families.
While Airmen and Guardians proceed with their day-to-day missions, Devitt said helping agency members understand life occurs elsewhere.
“There are a lot of different agencies that work together to make sure the needs of the community are being met,” Devitt said. “Some of the agencies – like the [Family Advocacy Program, Military Family Life Consultants, Employee Assistance Program] – will do training for couple’s communication.”
Andrea Hernandez, 50th Force Support Squadron A&FRC chief, echoed those sentiments and stressed the importance of agencies, especially the A&FRC.
“When newcomers first in-process, we [A&FRC] provide a mandatory financial briefing and can use us until they leave [the Air Force],” Hernandez said. “We do our best to serve the entire force.”
Helping agencies also assist Airmen, Guardians and civilians with minor affairs to improve circumstances.
Devitt started the Airman’s forum where Airmen identified issues and concerns younger members of the force face.
“They said they didn’t have barbeque grills at the dorms,” Devitt said. “… We highlighted that and now they have grills they can use.”
Devitt also said some Airmen faced issues in connecting with others. Devitt said the helping agencies will assist in that area as well.
“One of the things we’re doing is on the Peterson and Schriever websites where we’ll provide club information for our Airmen and Guardians to access,” Devitt said. “If someone likes to ski, workout or make cookies or whatever it may be, we’ll highlight different groups or clubs that people will head up to help Airmen and Guardians make connections.”
Schroeder said she’s working with 21st Communication Squadron to add an icon to all Peterson AFB desktops that will display Peterson Helping Services matrix.
To contact Hernandez regarding the A&FRC, call 719-567-7340. For information about the helping agencies at Schriever Air Force Base regarding helping agencies call 719-567-HELP (4357) or for Peterson call 719-552-HELP.