Dec. 19, 2023 Air Force medical leaders discuss necessary changes in face of great power competition during annual workshop Lt. Gen. Robert Miller, U.S. Air Force Surgeon General and Chief Master Sgt. Dawn Kolczynski, Chief of the Medical Enlisted Force, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, hosted the annual, week-long Air Force Medical Service Senior Leadership Workshop in Leesburg, Virginia, Dec. 5-8, 2023.
Feb. 17, 2023 DoD releases policies to ensure access to non-covered reproductive health care The DoD has released policies on command notification of pregnancy, administrative absence for non-covered reproductive health care, and travel allowances for non-covered reproductive health care.
Sept. 22, 2022 Online courses provide aid to those affected by suicide The Defense Department is now offering two online courses that provide support and guidance for those affected by suicide.
Sept. 8, 2022 Agents of hope: Suicide prevention program encourages all to ‘connect to protect’ Each September, the Defense Department highlights suicide awareness and resources available for service members and families across the military with National Suicide Prevention Month.
Aug. 26, 2022 Air Force Wounded Warrior Program aids Airmen, Guardians Life for injured or wounded military personnel can be painful as they may think there’s no treatment for what they’re going through, however, the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program helps Airmen, Guardians and families get the resources they need.
July 27, 2022 AFIMSC Chaplain shares his ‘True North’ calling True North is a resiliency program that embeds providers and spiritual leaders within squadrons and groups to strengthen mental and spiritual health, two of the four pillars of Air Force resiliency.
July 18, 2022 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline launches 9-8-8 The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline is launching a new quick-dial option nationwide starting July 16. Anyone located within the United States can call or text 9-8-8 any time of day, seven days a week to receive support for suicidal, mental health, and substance use crisis. The line will
July 14, 2022 19th MDG mental health clinic initiates group therapy program Secretary of the Air Force, Frank Kendall, recently met with the Air Force Medical Service leaders to discuss the Department of the Air Force’s approach to prioritizing care and support through ongoing initiatives aimed at improving access to mental health care resources.
May 26, 2022 Suicide prevention and mental health resources provide help: You are not alone Life is full of ups and downs. But sometimes life events - financial strain, relationships, isolation, emotional or sexual abuse, stress, and misuse or abuse of alcohol or drugs - can lead to depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide for some. It’s important to remember that you are not alone.
March 31, 2022 DAF recognizes Transgender Day of Visibility President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation in 2021, officially recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility as an international awareness day dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and victories of transgender and gender nonconforming people.
Feb. 18, 2022 Air Force partners with NYU for mental health technician toolkit The Air Force is partnering with New York University to develop a toolkit for mental health technicians working with Airmen and Guardians outside of a traditional clinical setting.
Oct. 14, 2021 Academy prep school commander stays ‘Husky Strong’ in battle with cancer Melissa Youderian cried when she donated her long hair to Locks of Love, a nonprofit for children suffering hair loss, after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.“Though it was a deliberate decision and I thought it would be uplifting to donate my hair before the treatment took it, I had tears
Aug. 23, 2021 Air Force mental health leaders discuss future of the field Mental health leaders across the Air Force met virtually for an annual conference, which started on August 9, to discuss military mental health care, telehealth, the impact of COVID-19, and embedded mental health support.
July 29, 2021 Airman overcomes series of challenges relying on superb resiliency It was the first night in a while that she’d slept so soundly. Unfortunately, it was the one night she wishes she hadn’t. Murphy’s Law continued a long streak of unfolding in Janelle’s life. One incident after another. It was enough to yank the cheer right out of the average person, but not her.
June 21, 2021 Resilient and fit despite COVID-19 On July 1, 2021, the Air Force will resume its physical fitness testing, following months of delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, Airmen of all ranks, ranging from new arrivals to those in the senior tier, have had to find different ways to maintain a healthy level of fitness
April 18, 2021 Avoiding burnout The COVID-19 pandemic may make you feel like you’re just waiting – life on hold – feeling frustrated that there’s no end in sight. Pandemic fatigue is a very real feeling of exhaustion as a result of COVID-19’s impact on our lives – from financial stress, to loneliness, to the fears of getting sick.
Feb. 11, 2021 Department of the Air Force leaders focus on resiliency Senior leaders are focused on building and growing resilience by establishing a task force called Operation Arc Care. This task force is currently reviewing resilience programs and overarching strategy using a phased approach which began in November.
Aug. 4, 2020 Coping with COVID: An Air Force Podcast In this episode of An Air Force Podcast, we look into how the renewed focus on Squadrons has prepared and supported Airmen and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 9, 2020 Embedded mental health essential during pandemic (Part 2) Air Force mental health teams embedded in operational squadrons are helping Airmen deal with stress created by the COVID-19 pandemic to sustain essential operations during the crisis.
May 28, 2020 Embedded mental health essential during pandemic (Part 1) Embedded Air Force mental health professionals play a critical role in keeping Airmen mission ready, and during the COVID-19 pandemic they are even more important to maintaining readiness.