Sabers participate in Caring for People Forum

Published Jan. 30, 2014
By Senior Airman Rusty Frank
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Members of Saber Nation gathered to voice their opinions concerning base-wide issues during the bi-annual Caring for People Forum Wednesday at Club Eifel. The forum was held to focus on one of the 52nd Fighter Wing commander's: pillars making the community better.

"This is an opportunity for community leaders to have direct involvement in identifying quality life concerns on the base, and create new and innovative solutions for the problems," said Lee McDonough, a 52nd Fighter Wing community support coordinator and executive director of the community action information board.

That the people who participated in the forum were split into different groups including spouse support, single airmen support, health and fitness, child and youth activities, housing and school support.

The event was intended for anybody belonging to Saber Nation to have their voice herd.
"Everyone is welcome at the caring for people forum," McDonough said. "A successful caring for people forum requires participation from everybody enlisted to officers, spouses, dependants, civilian contractors, anybody in the Spangdahlem community."

One of the benefits of having a forum like this is that it's not all one person, it's the whole community coming together creating solutions, she said.

During the forum a wide variety of issues were discussed. One of the issues discussed during the spouse support group was better communication to reach the stay at home spouses said Cecilia Diaz, 52nd Medical Operations Squadron family advocacy outreach manager.

Forums like these benefit the Air Force by having the people of the base community voice their opinions, McDonough said.

"I think this benefits the Air Force tremendously, because when you have ownership from your people-- whether they're active duty, dependants, civilian contractors--they are part of not just identifying problems, but creating solutions,," McDonough said. "I think that the caring for people forum allows people to feel truly invested in their community and when you have that then it's strengthens the mission."