Let’s Connect: Female service members strengthen bonds

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Larissa Greatwood
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  As Airmen of varying backgrounds, career fields and ranks, it can be important to come together to support each other and build camaraderie and resilience through open forums.

This can be even truer for female Airmen. That's why on every second Tuesday of the month, "Let's Connect" brings Airmen together to do just that by supporting the social domain of the Comprehensive Airmen Fitness program.

Social fitness refers to the ability to engage in healthy social networks that promote the overall well-being and optimal performance.

"It's a great opportunity for higher ranking individuals to teach the lower ranking Airmen and vice versa," said Master Sgt. Brandy Godinez, 693rd Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance command language program manager.

Participants focus on different topics at each meeting. Discussions can be about work or life in general and sometimes panels are held to allow younger Airmen to ask questions, Godinez said.

For the November meeting, attendees focused on the importance of being thankful and giving back. Each attendee wrote what they were thankful for and shared stories about trials and triumphs.

Godinez said though the forum is geared toward women helping women, men are always welcome.

"In some situations, men supervise women, and this gives them the opportunity to understand how they can communicate more effectively," she said.

Since the military is a male-dominated career, Let's Connect can be important for some Airmen.

"I work in a shop where I'm the only female," said Airman 1st Class Jasmin Harris, 786th Civil Engineer Squadron operations manager. "It's good to have the opportunity to interact with other women because I don't have that in my workplace. Working with only men isn't a bad thing; I just think it's important to learn how to work together [with other women] and get the mission done."

For some, living overseas can be an added challenge and having a support group can help lighten those burdens.

"Any time you can get or give mentorship, it's always a positive impact whether it's about getting another Airman to the next rank or just getting through life overseas," Godinez said. "I think the impact of this program on the [Kaiserslautern Military Community] is tremendous."

The November meeting drew a crowd of more than 30 Airmen who had the opportunity to connect, making these kinds of open forums a valuable way for Airmen of every rank to build resilience, camaraderie and mentorship.

The next "Let's Connect" meeting is scheduled for Dec. 8, at the Woodlawn Golf Course on Ramstein. Email kmc.top3.kmcletsconnect@us.af.mil for more information on upcoming events.