Air Force Featured Stories

  • Depression can offer opportunity for reconnection

    Depression can be spurred by a range of factors such as a change in life circumstances, a change in lifestyle behaviors, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, or even loss of hope. The antidote for depression often begins with talking to people.

  • Overcoming holiday blues

    The holiday season is upon us once again, and it is often a busy season. It is filled with shopping, gifts, festivities, joyous music, holiday parties, decorations, and many opportunities to be with family, friends, and coworkers as we close out the old year and welcome the New Year.

  • Preventing suicide - starting with myself

    There is rarely a day that passes when I do not think of ending my own life. Some days, my depression is an overwhelming weight to bear and it takes nearly everything I have just to push the thoughts away and get on with my routine.

  • Overcoming the shadow of death: An Airman’s fight against depression

    Staff Sgt. Srun Sookmeewiriya or Sook, as many people know him, may seem like a happy and carefree Airman at first glance. The 313th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron NCO in charge of reports regularly puts forth an earnest effort to keep his unit alive and running, so his dark past and

  • AF program increases access to behavioral health care

    Nearly half of people with a treatable behavioral health disorder do not seek help from behavioral health professionals, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. However, 80 percent of this population does visit a primary care manager at least once a year. An Air Force program seeks

  • Mental maintenance: Tools to keep the mind fit

    Airmen often go to the fitness center; some spend several hours a week toning their bodies, while others go to simply maintain their physique. But what about strengthening the mind?

  • Follow up: It can be a matter of life, death

    Really taking care of Airmen means more than passing them off to a helping agency, assuming they're good to go, and then moving on. It means following up over the long term and not allowing ourselves to believe that anyone is immune from needing a helping hand, and more than just once. It may be

  • Lessons in compassion

    I woke at 2:30 a.m and found my wife on the floor and erratically painting on a canvas. The painting was of an Airman battle uniform next to a bottle of prescribed depression medication. Streaks and spots of deep red paint blotched the canvas, which also had gashes and holes littered in it because