Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Cheryl Dilgard | The Fleet and Family Support Center satellite office, located at the Trooper One Stop,...... read more read more
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GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA – The Fleet and Family Support Center provides the military and civilian community with many services that support individuals in varying aspects of their life, both personally and professionally.
Whether you are seeking professional development as you embark on a new career as a civilian, or prepare to transition to a new duty station, or are just looking for someone to talk to during a tough time, the Center can guide you and give you the tools you need for success.
"Working with anger and stress management has had a significant impact on the individuals serving the Joint Task Force mission," said Ronnette Moore, a life skills educator, who also served 12 years in the Navy.
Life skills education encompasses areas such as anger and stress management, maintaining loving relationships, parenting, individual counseling and bereavement counseling. It also teaches individuals how to communicate more effectively, whether in a personal relationship or a professional capacity.
"We provide service members the tools they need to communicate [efficiently] so they can serve the mission more effectively," said Patricia Garro-Daily, a clinical counselor at the center. "We take the time to ensure that the service member has the opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills by role playing in particular situations that encourage the individual to try what they learned and give them the chance to get comfortable with it."
If an individual comes to the center with a family or relationship concern, they can initiate a counseling session with the couple just as though both are in the room by calling the spouse who is unable to be present, and conducting the session as though both are physically present. This thinking outside-the-box approach is one of the many things that make the Center a real asset to Guantanamo.
"We best take care of service members by meeting them where they're at," said Patricia Williams, director of the Center. "We help them identify where they want to be and help them get there."
"Keeping their privacy is a priority. What is said here stays here. That's important, it gives them an outlet."
Sponsorship training is another program the Center supports. For Troopers coming to Guantanamo Bay, the sponsorship programs helps by assigning a sponsor who reaches out to them prior to their arrival and gives them an idea of what to expect. Upon arrival, the sponsor will meet the new Trooper at the ferry and begin the process of getting settled on the base. They are the incoming Trooper's initial lifeline to the island.
Troopers who are getting out of the military are encouraged to take transition assistance classes so they can be prepared for the next step in their life. For these individuals, employment classes can teach them the basics of effective resume writing, how to complete employment applications and how to negotiate salary. They also speak with a Veterans Administration representative and learn what benefits they can utilize.
"A lot of people don't know how to effectively write a resume," said James Mandley, educator and sexual assault response coordinator with the Center. "We have a good showing for the resume writing workshop and for transition assistance management. All of the classes are successful."
The Center, with its central location near Bulkeley Hall opened up a satellite office to be closer to JTF Troopers.
"We opened the Fleet and Family Support Center location at the Joint Task Force One Stop approximately one year ago," said Williams. "It's difficult for service members to come to the main location when they have to ride a bus. We need to support the JTF mission, it's why we opened that location."
Troopers, whether active duty or reserve, are encouraged to access the services the Center has to offer.
"The staff here is committed," Williams continued, "They are supportive and team oriented. We're currently operating with a 67 percent staff [level] and yet everyone goes the extra mile to complete all tasks successfully. We do whatever it takes to support service members and their families.
http://www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil/
| Date Taken: | 06.27.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2008 11:51 |
| Story ID: | 21108 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 197 |
| Downloads: | 153 |
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