Bridging the gap, technology brings Airmen, families closer

Published Jan. 9, 2014
By Bridging the gap, technology brings Airmen, families closer
434th ARW Public Affairs

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Bridging continents and hearts, Airmen are using technology more than ever before to stay close to the ones they love.

From tablets to video messaging services, 434th Air Refueling Wing Airmen have seen the world get smaller over the years as technology allows them to stay in contact with friends, family and loved ones as they deploy around the world.

"To see the change is amazing," said Tech. Sgt. Douglas Hays, 434th Air Refueling Wing public affairs superintendent, who did a remote tour in the Republic of Korea in 1991, adding that during those days Airmen were allowed one five-minute morale call per month and relied heavily on the mail service to stay in contact.

"The entire base would watch for the red flag to be raised at the post office indicating all mail was posted for the day," Hays continued. "Everyone would rush over and peer into their tiny mailboxes hoping for something from home."

Today, hearing from home is a mere mouse-click, or finger swipe, away.

Tech. Sgt. Erica Morgan, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron personnel specialist, put modern technology to use during her husband's recent deployment. Master Sgt. Michael Morgan, 72nd Air Refueling Squadron inflight refueling evaluator, deployed in September, shortly after their daughter, Eila, was born.

"He's been gone seven weeks, and it doesn't feel like that because I get to see him every day," she said while her husband was still in Southwest Asia.

Thanks to the ability of real-time video chatting, the Morgans were able to share special moments in life with their newborn and school age daughters.

"He's been able to see our youngest daughter roll over and giggle for the first time and our oldest daughter's cheerleading competition and violin recital," said Tech. Sergeant Morgan, adding she enjoys she can share even the most basic of things in her day with her husband.

"Even the little stuff that matters," she explained. "I can talk to him as I fold laundry or give the baby a bath," she said. "He's still a part of our daily lives, and that makes all the difference in the world."

And, with the "little stuff" being important, the big stuff, such as the birth of a child, is even more so as one Grissom maintainer found out as he used video messaging to witness the birth of his first-born daughter.

Senior Airman Dustin Neu, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron KC-135 crew chief, was deployed when his wife, Melissa, gave birth to their daughter, Summer.

"Technology was the only way I had a chance to see the birth of my child, which was the most important moment of my life so far," said Neu. "If I had missed that, it's something I would have never been able to get back."

While technology allows for military families to share those special moments, it can also be used to harm them as well, prompting the 434th ARW public affairs office to suggest caution online.

"For the sake of you and your family, always keep operational security in mind," said Tech. Sgt. Mark Orders-Woempner, public affairs deputy chief. "Never disclose deployed locations or troop movements because those leave Airmen and their families open for harm and exploitation."

Other tips include turning off locations services on mobile devices, not letting social media sites go unattended, never discussing mission specifics or operational capabilities, and making it look like an Airman is home online, even if they are deployed.

"We have an aggressive emerging technology education program at Grissom, and every deployer is briefed before leaving about how to protect themselves, their fellow Airmen and their families online," said Orders-Woempner. "We count on them to share that information with their families and friends."

The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. From Grissom, 434th ARW Airmen and aircraft routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives.

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Bridging the gap, technology brings Airmen, families closer

Public Affairs Staff