512th, 436th AW families attend picnic

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. James Bolinger
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del --  The 512th and 436th Airmen and Family Readiness hosted a Deployed Family Picnic and Information Fair June 5 during the June unit training assembly at the Eagles Nest picnic area here.

Nearly 300 deployed and activated servicemembers were invited to the event by the A&FR staff.

Eight base and civilian agencies supported the three-hour picnic. Members of the Red Cross, Military OneSource, Family Advocacy, the base Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Key Spouses Club, TriCARE and Team Dover's military finance office handed out information pamphlets to parents and free toys to the children.

Maj. Jay Miller, 326th Airlift Squadron pilot along with his wife, Stephanie, and their three children attended the event to get information on programs available to activated reservists. Major Miller is on active status in support of a troop build-up to sustain military operations in Afghanistan until September.

Ashley Lensie, whose husband Staff Sgt. Kevin Lensie, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron, is deployed to Afghanistan, brought her 5-year-old son Caiden to the event so they could get out of the house.

"We were looking for something to do," said Mrs. Lensie. Her husband is on his fourth deployment.

Caiden jumped in the bouncy castles, got a free stuffed animal he named Air Force Bear and enjoyed a free ice cream, she said.

"I want the big popsicle," Caiden said. "It has a bunch of colors, like a rainbow."

The Lensie's visited all of the information booths, learning about what programs the Air Force offers the families of deployed servicemembers.

"The Red Cross booth talked about helping with psychological problems my husband may have when he gets back, and Military OneSource provides counseling and other services."

The event's goal was to provide information to the families of deployed servicemembers and give the A&FR staff a chance to see how spouses are doing, said Laura Coseglia, 512th A&FR director. It's important for the families to get out and have some fun, she said.

Approximately 300 Liberty Wing reservists will be activated for roughly six months, providing sustainment for Operation Enduring Freedom's movement of 30,000 additional U.S. troops. This mobilization supports President Obama's planned troop build-up, which was announced in December. The Airmen include flight crew members, maintenance technicians, aerial porters and support personnel.