AFW2 Blue and Beyond

On this month's Blue & Beyond podcast Coach Connie & Coach Kallie discuss how to prepare for the unexpected and how to continue to move forward.

On this month's Blue & Beyond podcast Coach Connie talks to Raina Stroman and Brittni Jennie who are both on Team Air Force and will be competing in Warrior Games this September.

On this month's Blue & Beyond podcast Tonya McGough and Walt Myre brought several Caregivers together for a Caregiver Lightning Round of various questions and topics.

On this month's Blue & Beyond podcast AFW2 Warrior Adam Boccher sat down with the Empowerment in Transition Program Manager Brad Britt.

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, guest host and adaptive sports coach Consuela Moore sat down with 2019 Warrior Games Ultimate Champion, Chunte Gonzalez to discuss what it takes to reach the pinnacle of competitive greatness even during the times of physical distancing.

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, guest host Armando Franco, Air Force Wounded Warrior Wellness and Resiliency Program Manager, sits down with Tech. Sgts. (ret) Melissa Nueva and Roann Leatz to discuss how warriors can remain positive, resilient, and social during this time of physical distancing. Learn how your fellow warriors are using journaling to strengthen the bonds within our AFW2 and military communities to ensure a successful recovery at home.

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, guest host Tony Jasso, AFW2 Action Officer, sits down with SSgt. Jessica Thelen and Tech. Sgt. (ret) Joshua Smith, to discuss how warriors can remain positive, resilient, and social during this time of physical distancing. Learn how your fellow warriors are using this time to strengthen the bonds within our AFW2 and military communities to ensure a successful recovery at home.

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, we sit down with Scott Wilson, Branch Chief of Non-Medical Care for AFW2, to discuss the roll our Recovery Care Coordinators and Non-Medical Case Managers play in our warriors recovery. These staff members work as team to provide the support needed to ensure warriors and their families get the non-medical services they need to create the life they want. These services include benefits, entitlements, housing, transportation counseling, as well as helping transition to the Veteran Affairs support system when necessary. The tireless support of our RCC’s and NMCM’s allow our warriors, their caregivers and families to thrive in their new normal.

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, guest host Aaron Moffett, Resiliency Program Manager, sits down with Master Sgts. (ret) Reese and Kyle Hines, a husband and wife duo who have gone through the program together, to discuss their personal experiences attending Air Force Trials. During their recovery journeys, these two warriors have competed in adaptive sports at the highest levels and offer some helpful tips for success to warriors who may be attending an AFW2 event for the first time. The fighting spirit of our warriors is maintained through camaraderie and commitment and is fostered by wingmen who train, compete, and recover side by side...these two are the epitome of that wingmanship and are an inspiration to us all!

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, guest host Marsha Gonzales, Branch Chief of Warrior Care Support for AFW2, sits down with Chief Master Sgt. (ret) Garrett Kuwada and his wife and caregiver Joey, to discuss the positive impact attending their first Warrior CARE event had on their lives and recovery. Whether an Airman's “fight” is on the battlefield, the civilian sector or in the classroom, AFW2 is here to ensure their physical, mental, social and spiritual wellness is stronger than ever as they step into their next chapter after becoming wounded, ill or injured.

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, we sit down with Deborah Martinez, program manager of the Air Reserve Component Cell, to discuss how our program provides personalized and restorative care to our Guard and Reserve warriors. While all of our warriors receive the same level of care from our program, there are some differences in the enrollment process specific to our Guard and Reserve warriors.

In this episode of AFW2: Blue & Beyond, we sit down with Candace Escobedo, Air Force Wounded Warrior Wellness program manager. To address the growing suicide epidemic across the Air Force, AFW2 established the Wellness Program to train warriors, leaders and our staff to incorporate wellness into their daily lives. From program activities like journaling and meditation to focusing on how we care for one another, the Wellness Program is striving to create a culture of caring.

Our program sat down with Air Force Lt. Col. Juliana Walker and Master Sgt. Steven Dow who shared their personal stories of resiliency and how their lives were forever changed once they were introduced to the AFW2 family. This is a story of how a single conversation can alter the course of someone’s life and how creating a culture of caring can go a long way. The connection formed between these two warriors reminds us all of the importance of showing our wingmen compassion because you never know what is going on behind the scenes.

Our program sat down with Air Force Lt. Col. Juliana Walker and Master Sgt. Steven Dow who shared their personal stories of resiliency and how their lives were forever changed once they were introduced to the AFW2 family. This is a story of how a single conversation can alter the course of someone’s life and how creating a culture of caring can go a long way. The connection formed between these two warriors reminds us all of the importance of showing our wingmen compassion because you never know what is going on behind the scenes.

AFW2 sat down with Master Sgt. (ret) Adam Boccher and Maj. Daniel Corindia, who were participating as Team Mentors at the Northeast Warrior CARE Event at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. They discuss how participating in CARE events have personally made them more resilient, shared their compelling testimonies on how they felt before attending compared to the reality of what a CARE event did for them and the explained the deep bond they feel with their fellow warriors.

AFW2 sat down with Mr. Randy Tillery, Director of Airmen and Family Care, and Chief Master Sgt. Jason Sarrett, Chief, Airmen and Family Care, to talk about Warrior Care Month, what it means to them to take care of Airmen and their families and their thoughts on the Northeast Warrior CARE event held at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. They also discussed the importance of resiliency programming and provided insight on how members across the Air Force can get involved with the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program to help their seriously injured, ill and injured wingmen.

Across the Department of Defense, November is recognized as Warrior Care Month. A time for service members, families and community partners to shine a spot light on the programs and services available to the men and women who have and continue to serve our country. Here at the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, we want to connect with all our warriors by using our first-ever podcast with guest Marsha Gonzales, Branch Chief of Warrior Care Support, to highlight the program’s mission and provide background information on how our program came to exist. The Air Force is leading the way in providing personalized restorative care to seriously wounded, ill and injured Airmen, caregivers and families and in doing so, developing a lasting culture of care.