Serving through the season: Tech. Sgts. Fernando and Flor Richards

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kevin Nichols
  • Detachment 11, Air Force News Agency
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --  It's a hectic holiday season for many servicemembers, especially for one husband and wife team.

Tech. Sergeants Flor and Fernando Richards, mental health technicians at Kadena's Life Skills Center, put their holiday wishes aside for the sake of the Air Force mission.

"During the holidays, it's a little more stressful at times," said Flor.

It's also difficult sometimes for her to get time off to go home for Christmas to see her mom and stepdad in Davenport, Iowa, and siblings in Commerce City, Colo. This year is one of those years, where she and her husband will stay to work at Life Skills during the holidays.

Their relationship helps them cope with being away from home for the holidays in and out of work.

"It works out good that we're both mental health technicians. We keep each other on an even keel during the holidays when we can't get home," Fernando said.

Keeping busy during the holidays won't be hard for the Richards' with twin 10-month-old daughters anxiously awaiting them to come home from a long day at work.

"(The kids) don't let us get down," laughed Fernando.

Keeping busy with their Air Force family and squadron holiday parties is the same philosophy they give to patients. While serving through the holiday season, the Richards plan to take their own advice.

"We have to practice what we preach," said Fernando.

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