Weekend program creates Strong Bonds for Airmen, families

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Vicky Spesard
  • 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
KENTUCKY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, LOUISVILLE, Ky. --  The 123rd Airlift Wing Chaplain's Office is hosting two Strong Bonds communications-skills events in downtown Louisville Aug. 14-16 for Kentucky Guard members and their families.

The couples' conference, "7 Habits for Highly Effective Military Families," and the individuals conference, "Got Your Back," will be held at the Brown Hotel and will feature chaplains Lt. Col. Fred Ehrman and Maj. Kerry Wentworth as hosts.

"Strong Bonds is a Department of Defense program with multiple topics focusing on improving communications skills and strategies over many different aspects of the military life," explained Wentworth. "The programs are going to be fun, relaxed, interactive and engaging to help build interpersonal relational skills."

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Military Families workshop, which is geared for couples, provides a framework for applying universal, self-evident principles that enable family members to communicate more effectively, according to conference materials.

Participants learn how to deal with relocation, anticipate phases of deployment, apply an "Inside-Out Approach" to problem solving, resolve differences in marriage and family relationships, leverage family services both on and off the base, abandon unhealthy behaviors, and build family traditions.

The Got Your Back event focuses on helping individuals to improve understanding and decision-making in their relationships, according to conference materials. The goals include helping individuals handle stress more effectively, limit destructive communication patterns, understand safe and unsafe relationship dynamics, and be more intentional about expectations and actions in seeking successful relationships with others.

The conferences run concurrently and will begin on Friday evening with registration from 4 to 7 p.m. and the opening program from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday's activities will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the Sunday activities will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Snacks, breakfast, lunch and lodging will be provided at the hotel free of charge. On-site childcare also will be provided during event hours.

Pre-registration is highly encouraged and can be accomplished through the base Airman and Family Readiness office; or by calling 413-4611 or 413-4241.