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Men are equal at Roundtable

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  The Roundtable, Spangdahlem's new male-oriented focus group, is looking for participation from either low-ranking airmen or high-ranking generals, as long as they show each other respect.

The group held its first introductory lunch June 5, 2013, to inform the men of Spangdahlem how the organization and its people can work together for the greater good.

At first, the forum was intended to discuss sexual assault prevention, but it evolved into more than just that. Men now gather for informal mentorship sessions, open forums on current Air Force topics, and a safe place where a man can be a man.

"The Roundtable itself is just that, it's designed to allow the mature men of Spangdahlem to mentor the young airmen men of Spangdahlem and in return the young men can mentor the older men," said Master Sgt. Ryan McClary, 52nd Civil Engineer Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight logistics superintendent from Eureka, Calif. "There are many life lessons that can be learned. It's not a downward hierarchy -- it's definitely a two-way street, and it can even be horizontal from peer mentors too to increase the collective good through our experiences."

One of the key aspects of the Roundtable is mentorship. Staff Sgt. Frederick Delacruz, 52nd Fighter Wing sexual assault response coordinator, is one of the original organizers of the focus group and also an assigned mentor.

"I believe that mentorship is a part of our career to become successful," he said. "Not everyone progressed throughout their careers all by themselves, there is always that someone somewhere that helps guide them."

There is no requirement to join the Roundtable. The focus group is targeted toward men, but women will not be turned away.

"The only requirement to join the Roundtable is the desire to come and be mentored," McClary said. "The target audience is the men of Spangdahlem; the women of Spangdahlem are invited to attend to have a better understanding of how a man may view a certain topic or issue."

The Roundtable will have monthly lunch functions to bring out the men and enjoy the food encouraging free discussions amongst their fellow man.