Overcoming communication barriers with Family Links

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Stacia Zachary
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath Airman and Family Readiness Centers and Department of Defense Dependent Schools is hosting the next Family Links event at 5 p.m. March 28 at Lakenheath High School on RAF Lakenheath, England.

The event is centered on helping children and parents cope with the challenges of deployments and open to any military member or DoD civilian who deploys and has children. This month's Family Links event's theme is "Cooperation and Communication."

"Events such as these help build more resilient families," said Kevin Carrico, 100th Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center event lead. "Families that understand the need for better communication - especially with the onset of a deployment or the return of a parent - will make that family far better off than those who do not communicate their concerns or fears."

The event is centered on the family. Those in attendance are served a home-cooked meal before breaking off into group sessions, which break down the different age groups for the children and a separate group for the parents. In these groups, those attending all discuss the same topic of cooperation and communication and then participate in an exercise or game that helps show the importance of the current Family Links theme.

"It is important to have these events where families can have opportunities to network with other families and interact with the 'helping hands' agencies out there," said Maj. Glenn Bright, 100th Air Refueling Wing deputy chaplain. "It's really necessary that the people who help us while we serve have all the help they need when we aren't here."
While the A&FRC likes to know how many people will attend, the event is open to anyone wishing to learn what Family Links is all about. Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets will watch children who are too young to participate in the event.

For more information on the different groups and agencies available to military families, contact the A&FRC at RAF Mildenhall at DSN 238-3406 or commercial at 01638-543406 or at RAF Lakenheath at DSN 226-3847 or commercial at 01638-523847.