Spiritual bonds: A source of strength during a deployment

Maj. Lucinda Valenti, 433rd Airlift Wing chaplain, talks to servicemembers about the importance of developing the spiritual and emotional bonds with their loved ones prior to and during a deployment. Reverend Valenti's talk was part of a Yellow Ribbon Program pre-deployment seminar, which took place Aug. 2, 2009 at 26th Aerial Port Squadron headquarters. The Yellow Ribbon Program is designed to help servicemembers and their families prepare for many of the challenges that may be encountered before, during and after a deployment. Representatives from more than a dozen on and off-base organizations such as the Red Cross, the 433rd Airlift Wing legal office and the Employment Support for Guard and Reserve (ESGR) participated in the pre-deployment event. The representatives presented information on deployment-related matters such as physical separation from loved ones, care or guardianship of dependants, family and individual counseling, employment rights and legal matters such as wills and power of attorney documents.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luis Loza Gutierrez)