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Mental Health Awareness: It’s okay to answer Question 21
May 4, 2022 — May is Mental Health Awareness Month – a good time to bring up Question 21 on Standard Form 86, which federal employees complete for initial or renewed security clearances. ... MORE

Invisible Wounds Initiative helps build a supportive culture for Airmen, Guardians, and families through focused leadership
January 27, 2022 — The Command Team Campaign is a communications effort to increase knowledge and enable command teams to build connectedness, trust, and openness to tough conversations about cognitive, emotional, or behavioral conditions associated with trauma or adverse life events... MORE

An invisible wound is a cognitive, emotional, or behavioral condition that can be associated with trauma or serious adverse life events.

Restoring mental health in the New Year
January 26, 2022 — When the New Year comes around, many people look at re-establishing positive aspects of their life. They declutter their homes, start a new workout routine, work on paying off debt or start a new hobby. Either way, the decisions they make are beneficial to restoring their mental health. ... MORE

If there is a strong foundation of mental health most stressors, changes and unexpected incidents are easier to accept and take care of. Tending to and restoring mental health doesn’t mean there will never be setbacks, but it ensures that we are able to be successful in life, and have the ability to assist others when they are going through hard times.

Tough Conversation: Suicide, mental health awareness
December 23, 2021 — Brig. Gen. Caroline M. Miller, the 502d Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio commander, and Command Chief Master Sgt. Casy Boomershine hosted their “Tough Conversation” forum Dec. 14, 2021, where they discussed suicide awareness and mental health issues with 12 JBSA-Randolph members... MORE

Relationships, connections, support critical to preventing suicide
September 15, 2021 — Challenges created by the pandemic have left many feeling stressed and isolated. During times like these, relationships and interpersonal connections to family and friends are vital to a person’s wellbeing... MORE

Relationships, connections and support critical to preventing suicide

PTSD: Seeking out mental health care is the first step to wellness
June 29, 2021 — Service members, family members and veterans who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder may repeatedly re-experience their ordeal as nightmares, flashbacks or frightening thoughts, especially when exposed to events that remind them of their original trauma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... MORE

Image of an Airman with his hands crossed.

960th CW hosts Mental Health and Resiliency Fair at JBSA
May 26, 2021 — The 960th Cyberspace Wing kicked off National Mental Health Awareness Month by inviting service members, civilians and their families to its inaugural Mental Health and Resiliency Fair at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland May 1 with more than 800 attendees both in-person and virtually... MORE

Maj. Joya Gamara, 854th Combat Operations Squadron chief of combat plans division, speaks with Christina Avalos, 960th Cyberspace Wing psychological health volunteer, and Christyn Mundy, 960th CW psychological health intern, during the Mental Health and Resiliency Fair, May 1, 2021, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Samantha Mathison)

Reducing the stigma, encouraging mental health care in the military
May 19, 2021 — In the military, the stigma of mental health is grounded in the cultural misperception that a service member must have "zero defects" to be mission-ready. While the Department of Defense strives to identify and eliminate barriers to care that service members face regarding mental health treatment, stigma remains a significant issue within the military... MORE

Through good days and bad: A caregiver supports wife's recovery from invisible wounds
May 10, 2021 — There are many roles a person will play in a lifetime. For military families, these roles often cross the threshold of personal and professional life... MORE

Department of the Air Force leaders focus on resiliency
February 10, 2021 — 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... MORE

Maintaining good mental health vital through ongoing pandemic
February 9, 2021 — The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has created new challenges for everyone. Normal routines have been replaced by unfamiliar isolation and adjustments to home-life, work, and school... MORE

Public health actions, such as social distancing, are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but they can make us feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety. Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about, and those around you become more resilient.

AFSFC Airman aims to save world, one book at a time
August 28, 2020 — Master Sgt. Daniel Crook serves his country as a military working dog scheduler at the Air Force Security Forces Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland by day, but by night he writes and illustrates books for children. Through his stories, he hopes to bring a little light to what many see as a troubled world... MORE

Family photo of Air Force Security Forces Center author

Commentary: Listening and leadership can save lives
July 28, 2020 — Tech. Sgt. Daniel Rakowski knows what it feels like to lose a friend to suicide and never wants to experience it again. In 2012, a friend who had recently separated from the Army died by suicide. Rakowski saw firsthand how the Soldier’s death so deeply affected those around him – his family, his friends and Rakowski himself... MORE

Lt. Col. Scott Christensen, 331st Training Squadron commander, holds a positive message of support at a base gate during the morning inbound commute as part of their new initiative, “We Care,” at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

Taking care of military medical frontline providers
June 22, 2020 — Air Force medics are on the front lines against COVID-19, and maintaining their mental well-being is critical to keeping them in the fight. One of the biggest risks for providers is burnout, or compassion fatigue... MORE

The COVID-19 pandemic can challenge the mental wellness of health workers and contribute to provider burnout. Air Force medics are cautioned to be alert for signs of numbness in themselves or colleagues, and make time for self-care and recharge.

Redefining 'normal' mental health care still means delivering quality patient care
May 5, 2020 — Mental Health Technicians (4Cs) in Air Education and Training Command are redefining what “normal” is during the COVID-19 pandemic, while still delivering quality patient care in various different methods and providing Disaster Mental Health services when requested. ... MORE

#RiseUp Mental Health, Resiliency at JBSA
May 4, 2020 — Members of the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center Mental Health Clinic and 737th Training Group Military Training Consult Service mental health team spent My 4 motivating others with words of encouragement for base personnel and community members as part of a mental health and resiliency effort during the COVID-19 pandemic at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland... MORE

COVID-19 crisis poses mental health challenges as well as physical demands
March 25, 2020 — Like many communities throughout the United States, Joint Base San Antonio is feeling the effects of the global coronavirus pandemic... MORE

Like many communities throughout the United States, Joint Base San Antonio is feeling the effects of the global coronavirus pandemic.The installation’s Health Protection Condition has been increased to level C and its number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise.

Loving well this Valentine's Day: Tips for Military Marriages
February 13, 2020 — It’s February at Joint Base San Antonio, and as everyone knows, February is the month of love. Last week, I sat down with Dr. Kendra Lowe, a military spouse and former active-duty service member, to discuss marriage in the military and finding ways to spread the love. Dr. Lowe is a practicing clinical psychologist who has published some of her findings in Military Spouse Magazine as well as the Journal of Family Studies... MORE

360 Leaders Course empowers leaders at JBSA-Lackland
February 3, 2020 — The 502nd Air Base Wing welcomed the 50th class of the 360 Leaders Course to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Jan. 27. The course is a week-long, science-based leadership course that provides comprehensive, holistic training in personal health, wellness and resiliency, which empowers participants to guide airmen under their care with compassion and understanding. ... MORE

Therapy animals help Airmen cope with holiday stressors
December 13, 2019 — Many Airmen are not able to travel home for the holidays making it a stressful time, and Animals for Airmen can provide a relaxing, quiet environment for them to visit with therapy animals... MORE