HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Volunteers from around the installation participated in the Caring for People Forum June 20 to address topics related to quality of life here.
Hosted and facilitated by the Integrated Resilience Cell, attendees discussed challenges and solutions to processes around welcome support, spouse and family engagement, community resilience, and organizational connectedness.
“These conversations will set the stage for our future, and drive solutions that are both tangible and executable,” said Col. Taona Enriquez, installation commander. “Sometimes the simplest solution can have the largest impact on a community.”
Attendees included civilians, enlisted and officers, as well as base housing residents and dependents who volunteered to participate.
Throughout the forum, participants broke into focus groups to discuss common barriers and brainstorm solutions through resources already available to the base populous. The groups then came back together to discuss larger-scale solutions.
Capt. Tyler Sullivan, 319th Recruiting Squadron flight commander and forum participant, said he felt the conversations throughout the event were productive.
“It was really beneficial to hear from so many different people about their perspectives, and for everyone to be so transparent and candid about solutions,” said Sullivan.
Event organizers will work with the volunteers to develop pathways toward solutions before presenting them to senior leaders at the Community Action Board meeting next month.
“Our discussions set the precedence for the way ahead and encouraged participants to take on some proactive initiative,” said Sydney Herminghaus, a Hanscom AFB Integrated Resilience specialist.
For more information about the forum or ways to get involved in similar events in the future, contact Herminghaus at 781-225-3967.