Kaiserslautern American
Page 2
October 25, 2019
VICE PRESIDENT from Page 1 365 days a year,” Pence said. “Ramstein Air Base is the heart of the American military on the European continent, and the free world is safer because of all of you.” At the conclusion of his address, Pence reminded all in attendance that members of the U.S. military do not have to carry the burden of security and freedom by themselves. “As you serve here, I want to assure you that wherever you are called to serve — wherever you are deployed — you will carry with you the strength and pride of the American people, and the confidence of your commander in chief,” Pence said. “Progress that we made today is directly owing to work all of you have labored so nobly to advance here.” FAMILY AFFAIR from Page 1 To better prepare spouses and families for the drastic changes that come along with becoming a “shirt,” the First Sergeant Spouses Symposium provided education and insight into the job and responsibilities of a first sergeant. There is a new hiring process for first sergeants. In the past, “shirts” were only nominated. The new process will permit a nomination process, as well as allow qualified Airmen to volunteer, in the hopes of acquiring exceptionally motivated Airmen. “The job of a first sergeant will be the most rewarding job imaginable, but it also will come with long hours, phone calls around the clock, high levels of stress and emo-
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes a photo with an Airman at an all-call on Ramstein Air Base, Oct. 18. After addressing Airmen, Pence took time to meet them and show his support for their dedication to freedom.
tional fatigue,” said Master Sgt. Devin O’Donnell, 86th Communication Maintenance Squadron first sergeant. With a first sergeant being on-call 24 hours a day, a “shirt’s” spouse has to understand the roles, responsibilities and expectations of their partner’s job to maintain a stable home environment. “The challenges that first sergeant spouses face are many of the same that their military counterpart is facing,” said O’Donnell. “Whether it be unexpected calls that take their spouse away from the family during the holidays or being there to support their spouse when they come home after dealing with extremely emotional situations, being a first sergeant is a family affair.” The FSC is scheduled to
host a first sergeant spouse symposium twice a year. “To most military members, the responsibilities that come along with becoming a first sergeant are a drastic change from their pre-
vious Air Force Specialty Code, in terms of stress and scope of responsibility,” said O’Donnell. “These changes will undoubtedly have a huge impact on not only the military member but their fami-
lies as well. We encourage spouses to attend these events to give an opportunity to get some insight into the job and get answers to any questions that they may have.”
Spouses of first sergeant candidates write down concerns about their partner’s possible new roles during a First Sergeant Spouses Symposium on Ramstein Air Base, Oct. 18. The First Sergeant Spouses Symposium educates and provides insight into the role to help prepare families for this responsibility.
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