SOUTHWEST ASIA -- I’m Tech. Sgt. Andrea Whiting, a 386th Expeditionary Medical Group mental health technician. I am deployed from the 96th Medical Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. I joined the Air Force because I come from a family where several members have served or are still serving in the military. It just felt right that I would join as well.
As a mental health technician, I teach a lot of prevention classes, visit units, give briefings, screen patients, and provide basic mental wellness knowledge. The best part of my mission is seeing people succeed and overcome whatever they may be going through. Even something as simple as helping someone quit smoking through tobacco cessation class gives me a sense of accomplishment that I helped better their quality of life.
My job in the deployed environment differs from home station in that I am the only mental health technician on the base. At home station, I work in the Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Treatment Program (ADAPT) and am a certified counselor. I screen patients for substance abuse issues and run treatment groups and do individual counseling for members struggling with those issues.
The biggest challenge working in mental health is the stigma attached to our services. To overcome this, we go out to units and visit people to make them feel more comfortable so they can come see us if something does come up that they need help with.
Some of my professional goals are to branch out and take on a special duty to gain more experience and expertise, either within my career field or a development special duty. More on the personal side, I plan to complete my bachelor’s degree in health and wellness within the year and start working toward my master’s degree in nutrition.