AFW2 Blue and Beyond

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, we sit down with Deborah Martinez, program manager of the Air Reserve Component Cell, to discuss how our program provides personalized and restorative care to our Guard and Reserve warriors. While all of our warriors receive the same level of care from our program, there are some differences in the enrollment process specific to our Guard and Reserve warriors.

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, we sit down with Candace Escobedo, Air Force Wounded Warrior Wellness program manager. To address the growing suicide epidemic across the Air Force, AFW2 established the Wellness Program to train warriors, leaders and our staff to incorporate wellness into their daily lives. From program activities like journaling and meditation to focusing on how we care for one another, the Wellness Program is striving to create a culture of caring.

Our program sat down with Air Force Lt. Col. Juliana Walker and Master Sgt. Steven Dow who shared their personal stories of resiliency and how their lives were forever changed once they were introduced to the AFW2 family. This is a story of how a single conversation can alter the course of someone’s life and how creating a culture of caring can go a long way. The connection formed between these two warriors reminds us all of the importance of showing our wingmen compassion because you never know what is going on behind the scenes.

Our program sat down with Air Force Lt. Col. Juliana Walker and Master Sgt. Steven Dow who shared their personal stories of resiliency and how their lives were forever changed once they were introduced to the AFW2 family. This is a story of how a single conversation can alter the course of someone’s life and how creating a culture of caring can go a long way. The connection formed between these two warriors reminds us all of the importance of showing our wingmen compassion because you never know what is going on behind the scenes.

AFW2 sat down with Master Sgt. (ret) Adam Boccher and Maj. Daniel Corindia, who were participating as Team Mentors at the Northeast Warrior CARE Event at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. They discuss how participating in CARE events have personally made them more resilient, shared their compelling testimonies on how they felt before attending compared to the reality of what a CARE event did for them and the explained the deep bond they feel with their fellow warriors.

AFW2 sat down with Mr. Randy Tillery, Director of Airmen and Family Care, and Chief Master Sgt. Jason Sarrett, Chief, Airmen and Family Care, to talk about Warrior Care Month, what it means to them to take care of Airmen and their families and their thoughts on the Northeast Warrior CARE event held at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. They also discussed the importance of resiliency programming and provided insight on how members across the Air Force can get involved with the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program to help their seriously injured, ill and injured wingmen.

Across the Department of Defense, November is recognized as Warrior Care Month. A time for service members, families and community partners to shine a spot light on the programs and services available to the men and women who have and continue to serve our country. Here at the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, we want to connect with all our warriors by using our first-ever podcast with guest Marsha Gonzales, Branch Chief of Warrior Care Support, to highlight the program’s mission and provide background information on how our program came to exist. The Air Force is leading the way in providing personalized restorative care to seriously wounded, ill and injured Airmen, caregivers and families and in doing so, developing a lasting culture of care.