Travis adopts new reintegration briefings

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Matthew McGovern
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVSI AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A new mandatory system of briefings called Travis' Reintegration Group is now in effect for Travis Airmen returning from deployments and their families. 

"We want to properly integrate our members returning from deployments," said Nathaniel Middleton, Installation Deployment officer. "We're hoping to help people having problems." 

Briefings will be given by the Airman and Family Readiness Center, Mental Health, Family Advocacy, Chaplain's office, Outreach and Legal. 

Once the briefings are completed, finance will assist the returning members with their travel vouchers. 

"This will speed up the process," said Staff Sgt. Waylon Russell, NCOIC of travel pay. "The customer doesn't have to wait in the finance office lobby. Everything can be good to go and they can go home faster," 

After finance's briefing, Public Health will conduct a health assessment and schedule follow-up appointments as required. 

"This is better for 'one stop shopping' and less wait time to in-process through Public Health," said Jonathan Swindle, Public Health deployment program manager. "All labs are ordered in advance for the deployers. They turn in their records
and when the briefings are done they can go directly to the lab. This saves the
deployers from running all over the base for the whole process." 

Before attending, unit deployment managers will provide a post-deployment checklist to returning personnel. After the briefings and any other squadron-specific action, Airmen will take the completed checklist to their respective commander's support staff to maintain on file. The squadron commander will give permission to start compensatory time off. 

The briefings, designed to ease the transition from a deployed environment to home station atmosphere, can be a benefit for family members as well. 

"We encourage Airmen to bring their family members. When it comes to deployments, they are also effected," said Mr. Middleton. 

Reintegration briefings are Mondays and Wednesdays, 8 to 10 a.m., at David Grant USAF Medical Center's auditorium. For more information call Mr. Middleton at 424-3919.