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AFRC holds largest Yellow Ribbon event in Orlando

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Anna-Marie Wyant
  • 920th Rescue Wing
ORLANDO, Fla. --  More than 800 Reservists and their families gathered in Orlando, Fla., Dec. 16-18 to participate in Air Force Reserve Command's Yellow Ribbon Program.

The Yellow Ribbon Program 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.

This was AFRC's largest Yellow Ribbon event to date. Participants included Reservists, Individual Mobilization Augmentees and family members from Joint Base Andrews, Md.; Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; Beale AFB, Calif.; Buckley AFB, Colo.; Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.; Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.; Dover AFB, Del.; Duke Field, Fla.; Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Hill AFB, Utah; Keesler AFB, Miss.; Langley AFB, Va.; Lackland AFB, Texas; Luke AFB, Ariz.; MacDill AFB, Fla., March AFB, Calif., Maxwell AFB, Ala.; McChord AFB, Wash.; McConnell AFB, Kan.; McGuire AFB, N.J.; Minneapolis-St Paul Air Reserve Station, Minn.; Moody AFB, Ga.; Nellis AFB, Nev.; Peterson AFB, Colo.; Patrick AFB, Fla., Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station, Penn.; Pope Field, N.C., Schriever AFB, Colo.; Seymour Johnson AFB; Tinker AFB, Okla.; Travis AFB, Calif.; Whiteman AFB, Mo.; and Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio.

More than 30 community partners and organizations including Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, Military OneSource, Veterans Affairs and many others supported the event, which helped attendees learn about their pre- and post-deployment benefits.

Senior Master Sgt. Renee Murphy, an aircrew flight equipment superintendent for the 916th Air Refueling Wing, an Air Force Reserve wing at Seymour Johnson, N.C., said she appreciated all the resources Yellow Ribbon had to offer for her and her family.

"It provides a wide variety of resources for a variety of issues: financial, emotional, stress-related," said Murphy, a first-time Yellow Ribbon attendee who brought her husband and children to the event. "It really reaches out; not all (Reservists) experience the same thing on deployment, and Yellow Ribbon offers a wealth of information."

In addition to community partners and organizations offering information and support, attendees could choose from a variety of breakout sessions that appealed to their interests. With classes on creative fitness, communication, GI Bill benefits and several others, attendees could pick and choose the sessions that seemed most applicable to their lifestyles and needs. The sessions take a step away from the 'death-by-Powerpoint' presentations many Reservists have come to dread; instead, most classes are interactive and encourage attendees to engage with each other.

Networking is also a major part of Yellow Ribbon. For many Reserve spouses, it can be just as difficult to stay home as it is for their loved one to deploy. Murphy's husband, Roderick Benjamin, said the toughest part of his wife's nearly yearlong deployment to Afghanistan wasn't just the fact he was left as a single parent of their five children; he said missing his wife and best friend made his experience that much more difficult.

"The toughest part was not having anyone to talk to, and not knowing what your loved one is going through," Benjamin said of the several months his wife was deployed.

He said Yellow Ribbon benefited him because he was able to network with other families who went through what he and his wife went through. He was also able to get in touch with numerous resources to help with various issues relating to deployments.

"With this Yellow Ribbon, I was able to meet the people who can help--now they know who I am, they can come help me, if I need it. Before, I didn't know them, and they didn't know me," Benjamin said. "When your family is on the edge of breaking apart, that's when it really counts."

The event's keynote speaker, Mrs. Kristy Tubbs, talked about her struggles during her husband's multiple deployments.

"I stopped counting after ten deployments," said Tubbs, whose husband is an Air Force Reserve pilot and squadron commander in California.

She addressed both Reservists and their spouses, telling them to try to be mindful of what the other is going through, and telling them to support each other during the war overseas and the 'wars' they may have at home.

In addition, Brig. Gen. Norman Ham, commander of the 440th Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve Wing at Pope Field, N.C., spoke to attendees about his personal experiences with multiple deployments. He told spouses how grateful Reservists are for their support, and even took time to address Reserve-dependent children.

"When your moms and dads deploy, they are trying to keep you safe because they love you so much," Ham told the children. "When they're gone, talk to them on the phone, tell them you love them, and when they come home, be sure to give them a big hug, and know they've missed you as much as you missed them."

Before departing, he gave certificates to the children thanking them for supporting their parents, making sacrifices, and being extra helpful around the house.

Over the course of the weekend, there were games, movies, snacks, and arts and crafts available for children in attendance. During the closing gathering for the event, the children had a 'parade' where they showcased their self-made arts and crafts, including a large banner with an American flag reading: "WE LOVE YOU."

Overall, Murphy and Benjamin said their first experience at Yellow Ribbon was a great success. Murphy said she will encourage all eligible pre- and post-deployment Airmen to participate attend Yellow Ribbon events. Murphy said she wants her Airmen to be well prepared for their next deployment.

"I got all this information (from Yellow Ribbon) for all of my people," said Murphy, who is responsible for approximately 30 Airmen. "The resources at Yellow Ribbon are so amazing."

To learn more about AFRC's Yellow Ribbon Program, visit their website and Facebook page.