Upcoming retreats for single and married Airmen

  • Published
  • By Dana Rimington
  • Hilltop Times Staff Writer
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  Whether on the way out for deployment or just returning, Hill Air Force Base is hosting a couple of retreats in September for both single Airmen and married Airmen and their families.

"Our families and individuals change as a result of deployment, and many people don't expect that change," 75th Air Base Wing Community Support Coordinator Julie Pinchak said. "There is a lot of anticipation and anxiety for service members and their families who are leaving and likewise when they are returning home."

The Single Airmen Retreat will be held at Snowbird Resort Sept. 19-21 and the Air Expeditionary Force Family Retreat will be held at Wolf Creek Resort Sept. 26-28. Sign ups are still available for both retreats, so those who will be deploying in the next few months, or just returning, are encouraged to contact their first sergeant or Chaplain (Maj.) Scott Baker at 801-777-2106.

Even though the number of deployed individuals has decreased over the years since the retreats began in 2005, there is still a percentage of the base that is gone or just coming back, so every six months the base hosts the retreats to capture those families.

"We understand that deployments place unique demands on families and single Airmen and we want to be able to speak to them and answer any questions of how to cope in the middle of time away, how to hang in there, and consider strategies that work," Baker said.

The family retreats accommodate up to 50 families and the singles retreat hosts 20 singles.

Participants enjoy a variety of activities, such as horseback riding, four-wheel off-roading, dinner and dancing, and a magician and other activities for the kids. Baker says the events wouldn't happen if it weren't for the numerous volunteers that help put the retreat together.

"We have dozens of organizations that donate from Build-A-Bear workshop to the Red Cross. It appears to be the kind of thing that people like to give to," Baker said.

Throughout the years, the focus on relationships at the retreats has remained the same, but the retreats will change where necessary to meet the needs of the participants.

Recently, base officials are seeing the need to add in the focus on resiliency.

"It's a culture change basically, ensuring that our families have the resiliency to withstand, recover, and grow from the daily and intense things that may happen as a result of being a part of the military or deployments," Pinchak said.

During the retreat, workshops will be held to build connectedness and help participants get the tools to recognize ways families and individuals have changed and learn to continue growing with their spouse and family.

Growing as an individual is just something individuals do naturally when they are apart from their families or friends for that long, according to Pinchak, so the retreats help participants learn to continue growing together upon the member's return.

"It's not about bouncing back and recovering, but to grow from that experience and help make sure they have the skills to manage the challenges they face as a result of being deployed so they can build those connections and remain focused on the mission and getting the job done," Pinchak said.