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Helping agencies 'blitz' 379 AEW Airmen

By Senior Airman Cynthia A. Innocenti, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs / Published December 02, 2016

Master Sgt. Michael Bergquist, a chaplain assistant with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, right, gives Senior Airman Jeremy Whitfield, a ground radar technician with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, Detachment 3, during the monthly “blitz,” at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 30, 2016. The blitz is organized to reach out to Airmen that work the night shift because they don’t usually have the same opportunity to interact with helping agency team members that day shift Airmen do. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cynthia A. Innocenti)
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Master Sgt. Michael Bergquist, a chaplain assistant with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, right, gives Senior Airman Jeremy Whitfield, a ground radar technician with the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, Detachment 3, during the monthly “blitz,” at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 30, 2016. The blitz is organized to reach out to Airmen that work the night shift because they don’t usually have the same opportunity to interact with helping agency team members that day shift Airmen do. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cynthia A. Innocenti)

Airmen with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Chaplain Corps and helping agency team conduct their monthly “blitz” at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 30, 2016. The blitz is organized to reach out to Airmen that work the night shift because they don’t usually have the same opportunity to interact with the HAT members that day shift Airmen do. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cynthia A. Innocenti)
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Airmen with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Chaplain Corps and helping agency team conduct their monthly “blitz” at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 30, 2016. The blitz is organized to reach out to Airmen that work the night shift because they don’t usually have the same opportunity to interact with the HAT members that day shift Airmen do. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cynthia A. Innocenti)

Master Sgt. Michael Bergquist, a chaplain assistant with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, engages with Airmen with the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron during a “blitz,” at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 30, 2016. The blitz is held at night so Airmen that work during those shifts can interact with 379 AEW Chaplain Corps and helping agency team members they don’t normally have face-to-face contact with. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cynthia A. Innocenti)
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Master Sgt. Michael Bergquist, a chaplain assistant with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, engages with Airmen with the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron during a “blitz,” at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Nov. 30, 2016. The blitz is held at night so Airmen that work during those shifts can interact with 379 AEW Chaplain Corps and helping agency team members they don’t normally have face-to-face contact with. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cynthia A. Innocenti)

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AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar—Airmen with the Chaplain Corps and helping agency team “blitzed” night shift Airmen with the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, 379th Expeditionary Communications Squadron and the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, Detachment 3, Nov. 30.

“We call it a blitz because we are tackling a large number of Airmen in a short amount of time,” said Master Sgt. Michael Bergquist, a chaplain assistant with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. “By tackle, I mean personally engaging with Airmen that don’t have the same day-to-day contact with HAT members as day shift Airmen do.”

The HAT is comprised of Airmen with the 379 AEW Chaplain Corps, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator Office, Mental Health, Legal Office, Inspector General, Equal Opportunity, Airman and Family Readiness Center and others like the first sergeants.

“A lot of Airmen don’t realize how many people are truly here to help them,” said Master Sgt. Kelly Martin, the legal office superintendent with the 379th AEW. “The Airmen we visit aren’t the only ones that get something out of the blitz; we also get a chance to learn more about what personnel do around the base.”

One of the ways the team engages with the Airmen is by asking each of them two personal questions each. The questions from this blitz were “what is one of your favorite holiday memories and what do you plan on doing for the holidays while you are here?”

“I have participated in five of these events and I have enjoyed every one of them,” said 1st Lt. Kayce Slayton, the sexual assault response coordinator with the 379th AEW. “We get a chance to show a friendly face to Airmen that don’t get to interact with the majority of the population here, the day shift.”

Bergquist said they are looking forward to the next blitz because it will be during December and will have a Christmas theme.

“So many of the Airmen here are away from their family for the first time during the holidays and we just want to make sure their holidays are still as special as they can be,” said Bergquist.

No matter the time of day, the 379 AEW Chaplain Corps and helping agency team are here for the Airmen on base, added Bergquist.

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