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Hearts Apart Thanksgiving Dinner

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kiana Brothers
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Servicemembers' families sat down at the Nightingale Inn dining facility to enjoy a meal sponsored by the Airman and Family Readiness Center's Hearts Apart program Nov. 14 at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Hearts Apart is a program developed for deploying servicemembers' families.

The Thanksgiving dinner was cooked by the dining facility. Once family members arrived they were given a name tag and escorted to their table. Volunteers and squadron members of the deployed personnel took their orders and served the food.

"The event is always wonderful," said First Sergeant Trenton Callahan, 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. "It's always great when you have so many volunteers that they are running into each other."

A pre-deployment briefing is given to all Airmen that give them the opportunity to identify family members left behind. Members of the AFRC will contact identified family members to inform them of the services available to them.  It also helps families stay connected to their deployed airmen.

"As a first sergeant, I get the opportunity to meet face to face with families in the unit," said Callahan. "It's a great time to verify if they don't need anything, have the resources they need, and even though deployments are tough, they are keeping their heads up and see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Events hosted by Hearts Apart are focused on deployment support for the families during pre-deployment and sustainment. Different events are held monthly for the families and usually at no cost.

"It was almost like they were going to a fine dining restaurant, we seated them and took their orders," said Tech. Sgt. Robert Kilburn, 375th Force Support Squadron readiness NCO. Hearts Apart also supports families separated due to extended TDY lasting 30 days or more as well as to families who's Airman is on a remote assignment.

A family member at Scott, who is in transit, had a chance to take advantage of the events hosted by the Hearts Apart program. The family's loved one is deployed, but the family is here at Scott. Scott was their follow-on duty station, but their orders recently changed. Even though Scott is no longer their next duty station, they have been active in the program.

"The thing about it is, if you are a family member here [at Scott] and your family member is deployed, then you belong to Scott and we will take care of you," said Kilburn. "We're just happy that we could help."

Nearly 80 family members attended this event and two-thirds of the attendees were children. Hearts Apart next event will be Breakfast with Santa held Dec. 13 from 8:30-11a.m. Breakfast will be served to the families and there will be giveaways for the children.

"The best part is as simple as the smiles; seeing smiles from people that are going through a lot of changes," he said. "And if they are not smiling, we find out what's going on and try to make them smile."