Airmen keep servicemembers, families connected

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Staying connected to their loved ones back home is a priority for the more than 24,000 Airmen deployed throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa.

Hoping to make that easier, a group of 17 Airmen from the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer, Communications and Force Support squadrons here recently teamed up to improve an already robust morale center called the "Oasis."

"We offer a facility that gives our (Airmen) a place to stay in touch with their family and friends, and take care of their personal business," said Staff Sgt. Rosita Castro, who is with the 386th EFSS and deployed from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

Thanks to the efforts of Airmen from the cable, small computers and technical control shops, as well as heavy equipment operators, electricians, and Oasis staff members, the morale center now affords Airmen even more opportunities to stay in touch.

"The new capability allows users at this air base to access commercial Internet for free and allows users to access sites and stream videos that are not available on the military network computers," said 1st Lt. Dennis Adezas, the 586th Air Expeditionary Group chief of communications and information division. "Another capability that it gives users is the ability to chat over several instant messaging programs. We even added several webcams, which allow members to chat and see their loved ones over the Internet and have provided voice over Internet protocol phones to allow Airmen to contact family members for only .04 cents per minute on calls to the U.S., which is cheaper than buying a phone card."

"I arrived here in April and this is the first time I've deployed since my 17-month-old son was born," said Staff Sgt. Brian DeRosa, a C-17 Globemaster III loadmaster with the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron who is deployed from Travis AFB, Calif. "Being able to check my e-mail or make a call home several times a day provides a lot of piece of mind knowing my family is doing OK, so I can focus on the mission."

There's a close tie between the mission and morale here and this project made a big difference to the Airmen here," said Tech. Sgt. Clyde Pence, the 386th ECS small computers shop who is deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Va.

"It's a great feeling to be able to put Airmen and their families together," he said. "When the morale is high, it goes hand-in-hand with the success of the mission."

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