Life at Incirlik means getting involved

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Courtney Donaldson
  • Detachment 7, Air Force News Agency
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) --  Incirlik is known affectionately by its residents as "the small community with the big heart."

Senior Master Sgt. Raul Ruiz, the 39th Security Forces Squadron first sergeant, embraces this small-town environment by being an active member of the community.

"My family and I are involved in everything from school functions to youth program to church groups," Sergeant Ruiz said.

His teenage son, Ryan, found his niche in the community. He recently won the Most Valuable Player award for the Incirlik American High School volleyball team and plays drums for a local band. He is a senior in a graduating class of 32 students.

He says making the adjustment to a much smaller school environment than he was used to was not only beneficial to him but also to his Dad's peace of mind.

"He's happier when he knows we're happy. We like it here now, so he's very happy with his job," said Ryan.

Sergeant Ruiz's wife Brandi shares the same sentiment.

"Being a first sergeant, Raul cares a lot about his troops," said Brandi. "We allow him to focus on his job by getting out there and getting involved."

Although the Turkish-owned base, has a high security level and an on-base curfew, the Ruiz family, like many of the other 5,000 Americans here, had no trouble adjusting to the base's differences once they got involved in activities.

"The best thing we did was get involved right away," said Brandi. "Within two weeks upon arriving everyone was into something. It really helped us prepare for life at Incirlik."