Taking care of deployed Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman Daniel Brosam
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Being deployed and away from family, friends and peers can be difficult. Knowing that someone is thinking about and caring for individuals and their families can make it a little easier.

That is why the 341st Contracting Squadron created a deployment plan including sending care packages and calling Airmen who are deployed - to lessen the load.

According to 1st Lt. Deanna Kerkhoff, 341st CONS contracting officer, Maj. Jeremiah Kirschman, 341st CONS commander, came to her and two other lieutenants - 2nd Lts. Aaron Quick and Teresa Doskey - with a vision to ensure deployed Airmen in their unit are still cared for.

"We recently deployed three Airmen and have one more headed out in the coming weeks," said Kerkhoff. "With only 20 members total in our squadron, that's quite a chunk of personnel."

The plan's goals consist of gathering information regarding specific location needs and job requirements prior to departure; encouraging the deployed member's peers and co-workers to contact them weekly; sending three care packages during their deployment, one of which will be waiting upon arrival to their station; squadron commander phone contact with the member, their deployed commander and the member's family twice during the deployment; and weekly updates at squadron staff meetings.

Kerkhoff said she loves the concept of the deployment plan because it's a method of accountability for peers, frontline supervisors, even up to the top tiers of leadership.

"It ensures that we're attending to not only the deployed members' needs, but to their family's needs as well," said Kerkhoff. "Our plan encourages open communication between squadron members and deployers as well as between supervisors and commanders here and deployed, and anyone else who might play an important role in the deployed member's life."

This plan shows the care the squadron has for their Airmen and the goal is to take it further and be used in other units.

"The deployment plan is easily adaptable to any unit's needs and preferences," said Kerkhoff. "Our hope is that its use will be widespread in the coming years by leaders who wish to continue caring for their people even when they are out of sight.

"This is about leaders recognizing that their deployers are real people who have real lives, issues and needs and that they need to know they are not forgotten."