Photo By Staff Sgt. Ariel Owings | U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Michelle Humphrey, 87th Air Base Wing first sergeant,...... read more read more
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Storytellers, a convention that allows members of the Joint Base MDL community to hear and share life experiences from other community members was held here June 20.
Whether someone is currently in or has gone through a situation, Storytellers is an event hosted by the 5/6 Council for the community to understand and relate with their peers’ feelings.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nakeisha Maroney, 87th Air Base Wing protocol specialist and 5/6 Council president, said the stories shared can be a wide range of different topics. Anyone who has a story that might benefit even one person is worth sharing.
Air Force Master Sgt. Michelle Humphrey, 87th Wing Staff Agency first sergeant, was one of the four speakers at the event. Humphrey talked about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her children’s father while she was pregnant with their son. She explained her thought process on how to get help and what helped her survive.
“It’s been eight years since my incident happened,” said Humphrey. “It was very personal and very traumatic, but I do feel like I’m at a place in my life where I may be able to help other people. It may help other people know that you can get past things and that they are not alone in what they are going through.”
Although traumatic stories like Humphrey’s can be eye-opening to domestic abuse awareness, the stories don’t have to be tragic or even have to be about personal life but something work related.
“We have had someone speak about almost losing his son, showing the graphic images and telling about the emotional stress his family went through,” said Maroney. “We have also had someone speak about her journey of switching from enlisted to officer. She explained what made her want to become an officer and the road that got her where she is now.”
The military community is known for taking care of one another. Most service members are away from home and have no one to lean on but their fellow wingmen who become – in a way - a second family. The gathering helps the Joint Base MDL community learn resiliency and how the military members take care of one another.
“Storytellers gives people the opportunity to share their experiences of unique situations with others,” said Humphrey. “People need to know they’re not alone if they’ve had something similar happen to them. When people share their experiences, it shows others how they have overcome the situation using resources available on base.”
Maroney said hearing the different methods community members have used to get through their encounters may help others see their own situation in a different perspective and hopefully help them come out on the other side.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.10.2018 10:29 |
| Story ID: | 283696 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, JBMDL service members’ stories reignited, by SSgt Ariel Owings, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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