December 28, 2025 • 39 mins
Command Chief Master Sergeant Kelvin Hatcher discusses the challenges military families face being separated during the holidays.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
We all owe them, but very few of us know them.
They are the men and women of our military and
first responder communities, and these are their stories. American Warrior
Radio is on the air.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome to American Warrior Radio, Ladies and gentlemen. This is
your host, Ben Biler Garcia. A special shout out to
those of you joining us on some of our new affiliates.
Freedom ninety three point seven KDFD in Denver, Colorado, WGOW
one or two point three FM, and eleven to fifty
AM in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Our friends in Seattle tuning in
on KTTH ninety four point five FM, seven seventy AM,
(00:47):
and LI News Radio one of three point nine FM,
Long Island, New York. It's great to have you with
us and hope to see you back every week. Several
years ago, I had the pleasure of talking with Scott
and Kim Campbell. At the time, both were eight ten poddots,
both had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and both
were colonels serving in command positions in our United States
Air Force. Kim related a story about when their young
(01:09):
son approached a three star general at a public event
and pleaded with the General to fire his father so
that his father could spend more time at home with
his family. Luckily for us, the General did not consider
the request, and both Scott and Kim would go on
to teach at cadets at the Air Force Academy. You
might get a chuckle out of the young mister Campbell's
heartfelt requests to the General, but it highlights a serious point.
(01:30):
When our fellow citizens volunteered to take the oath, they
were taking on a serious burden, to include time separated
from their families around the holiday season. I'd like to
bring this topic up is a way of reminding fellow
civilians of the sacrifices these families make on our behalf.
Joining me to add insight to this topic is Chief
Master Sergeant Kelvin J. Hatcher. Chief Hatcher is the command
(01:50):
chief Master Sergeant for the three fifty fifth Wing at
Davis Mouth and Air Force Base and Tucson, Arizona. In
that role, he serves as senior advisor for one of
the largest installations in our United State's Air Force, with
more than forty six thousand personnel, one hundred and fifty
two aircraft, and fifty one billion dollars in Assets. Chief
Hatcher is in his twenty fifty year of service to
(02:10):
our nation and has had deployments to no fewer than
six operations. Chief, Welcome to American Warrior Radio.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Thank you so much for having me. It's exciting to
be here.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Well, now you enlisted in two thousand, So again I
just we're talking ab out there, General Rantoman. I never
do math in public, but I think that comes out
to about twenty five years, right, that's.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
About sums it up.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Now, why the military, chief, and why the Air Force?
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Well, I would say that I never had aspirations of
joining the military to begin with. I started off. I
went to college. It was one of those goals of
mine to ensure that education, which was very important to
myself as well as my family. My mother a cafeteria
school worker in the elementary school for forty three years.
In fact, she just retired on last year, so super
(02:53):
excited about that. But education was one of those things
that she truly instilled into us in the importance sets
behind it. So going after college, excuse me, after high school,
going into college, it was something that I wanted to do.
I wanted to go back and I wanted to teach.
I wanted to give to the next generation of folks.
And after about two years, it was my sister who
(03:14):
actually convinced me to join the Air Force. She had
already been in she was serving as a medic and
I had an opportunity to go visit her and at
Travis Air Force Base, California at the time, and after
seeing all the things that she had on her own,
a little bit of the freedoms, obviously that was part
of it as well, but she was able to do
some things on our own that I wanted to be
a part of because I saw a difference in her
(03:34):
from what we grew up. And so I would say
to this day she is certainly a hero of mine.
She's a mentor of mine as well. She too is
a chief in the Air Force, doing amazingly well, serving
off in Hawaii, and so that gave me the passion
to serve.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
So you're midway in your college degree, though, so you
had to leave college to join the Air Force?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Absolutely, at least temporarily, yes, And it was one of
those things where I wanted something different. School wasn't given
it to me. I didn't have that sense of purpose
that was behind it, and so the military.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I wanted to give it a shot. Now. You joined
so almost a year. As I understand, you're listed in
September of two thousand, almost a year prior to the
nine to eleven attacks. What was your reaction as a
young airman in uniform when you saw that happen.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I'm not sure if it was due to the political
landscape that was happening, but part of our basic military
training is to ready airmen for any future conflict, and
I would say it was none better than that of
having a first time marine as well as an Army
ranger being your BMT instructor, and so we got it right.
(04:43):
We understood the importance of what warfare was to look like,
what conflict was going to be. So I think I
was pretty prepared when I got to my first duty station.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I tell you, Chief, I'm looking at your bio and
I'm going to check my notes here. I've got August
twenty twelve to September of twenty sixteen, Superintendent, Presidential Facility,
the White House, Washington, d C. That sounds like a
pretty cool assignment.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
It was not only a cool assignment. I think I
learned a lot, not only about myself, but I learned
a lot of parts about our government in the way
that it operates. I often tell people when they ask
me that story, or when they look at my bio
of working at the White House, I would tell them
that I got an opportunity to think like a terrorist
for four years, meaning that I wrote continuity to the
(05:30):
Presidency one to ensure that we as a United States
will always have a president, regardless of wherever that member
may be. And so whenever you think of something like that,
the policy is you go out and now write to
defend it. And so that's what I had an opportunity
to do. It was a beautiful assignment that was great
and learned a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
And I'm glad you clarified the statement about learning know
your enemy, right. I mean that's so what can you
tell us about practically what I mean where you're dealing
with logistic or security or air conditioning, I mean all
the above.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah, so it incorporates a lot of things. Obviously, the
background as a civil engineer had to do much of infrastructure,
and so when you think of anything from an infrastructure perspective.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It had to deal with all those Okay, Chief, I
want to tell you the part of The reason I
really wanted to have you on is given the types
of mission at Davis Month and Air Force Base, the
pace of deployment for our airmen and their families there
does not necessarily go down very much even when we're
not in a shooting war. So when it came to
this topic about family separations during the holidays, I thought
(06:39):
you'd be a perfect person to have that discussion. Now,
as I understand, before you were the command chief at
Davis Month and you were also the command chief at Eglin.
Was that the thirty third lighter wing? So is that
unusual to have two command chief positions or is that
just the way the system works.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Well, it's an opportunity of addressing, just like any other
respective role in which we would have so afford it obviously,
both opportunities to engage and interview with respective commanders for
each of those wings. And when given the opportunity to
come back to Davis Motham and I say back, because
(07:18):
I was here a few years ago, I couldn't let
up off the opportunity to come to it and serve.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Okay, and of those forty six thousand personnel that I
mentioned in the intro, approximately how many, sir, are military
versus civilians and are you respond? Well, I use the
air quotes responsible for all of their welfare or just
the military families.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
So when we think of welfare of our personnel as
well as a morale that goes with it, it is
not only just a service member, but it is also
their families, right, And so of the numbers that we
spoke about at the very beginning, we're looking at a
portion of about eleven thousand when it comes to our
civilian airman that's included within that ratio, but thirty seven
(08:00):
thousand of airmen as well as their family members that
are on the installation. So all of that is encompassed
into our willhouse and what we should be responsible for.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
So that includes independent contractors. Just when I think we
talked to some extent, you know, DM does have some
some host units that are on the base as well,
which kind of take care of their own thing. But
you're still responsible for all the facilities and making sure
things operate. They can't get through the gate, that's gonna
be a problem.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Yeh, yes, sir, you got it.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
I actually almost experienced that the other night. It worked
out well, It worked out well well. I'll tell you
Chief when we come back, I'd like to broach that
subjects I do as a civilian myself. I just I
feel like I always have to remind other civilians out
there about you know, when people think about sacrifices. Of course,
very often they go to the extreme cases, you know,
people that are that are killed in action or severely
wounded or these sorts of things. But to me, just
(08:49):
the you know, the simple idea that and you've been
doing this twenty five years, You've got three daughters. I'm
guessing in there there's been a lot of separations, there's
a lot of mispir days, holidays, and of course right
around you know, this time of year with Christmas and
Hanaka and all the other holidays, it's I would guess
it's it's particularly daunting. And let me just sort of
plant the seed before we take the breaks.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
So I was.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
My folks are missionaries, so I like to joke that,
you know, we had the same relocation schedule as a military,
just reporting to a different kind of general. I'll leave
it at that. But you know, every two three four
years we're moving, and it wasn't it wasn't bad until
my last move before I went out to college was
during my freshman year in high school. My brothers from
(09:32):
his junior to senior year, and that was a real
tough one. I really didn't want to go. But in
retrospect as an adult, I appreciate what I was able
to learn and develop. I think better as a person,
and you know, kind of tied to that also is
is how that impacted our time together as a Family's
a holidays, so we come back. I like to chat
with that. Ladies and gentlemen, there's your host, Ben Biler Garcia.
(09:54):
We're talking with Chief Master Sergeant Calvin J. Hatcher. We'll
be right back. Welcome back to American Warrior Radio Laser. Gentlemen,
this is our host, Ben Buler Garcia. We're talking with
(10:15):
Chief Master Sergeant Kelvin J. Hatcher. Chief Hatcher's now going
into his twenty fifth year in our United States Air
Force Command positions. A lot of separations during that time,
and Chief, you know, I kind of teased before the
break about my family. And so my oldest brother, he
was affiliated with a Division one basketball team in college,
(10:36):
so a lot of tournaments during the holidays, so he
was gone. My middle brother, John joined the Air Force,
and so he had deployments holidays. He's gone. I was
in the marching band in college bowl games. I'm gone.
My parents were spent several years in Checklisvock. In fact,
they were there for the velvet relution Revolution. They were
on the other side of the world during the holidays.
(10:57):
So I think I have a little more sense about
this than your average civilian bear. But in no way
would I compare it to what families like yours go
through during the holidays. So what I mean, how many
can you say, sir, and your just in your family
and your life alone, how many of those did you
miss where you weren't together.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Yeah, so I would say over the past twenty five years,
I've had my number of separations. In fact, I started
off approximately seven five hundred miles away from home as
leaving Georgia, which is where I'm from, to Okanawa, Japan.
That was my first duty station. And so even though
a single airman at the time, that incurred its own
separation and isolation from the things that I had known
(11:40):
growing up. And so, like many the physical distances from
loved ones, especially during peak seasons as we speak of
now coming up to the holidays is often magnified by
the emotional weight of traditions, things that you are accustomed to,
just being away, and it can often lead to some
isolations of just trying to maintain some of those connections.
(12:02):
It's just not the same over the phone or through
care packages, even though that was one of the things
my mom really wanted to do every single month, of
going grocery shopping for me.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
So is it different, would you say, having experienced it,
you know, both sides the equation. Is it more or
less challenging if you're a single member of the military
versus if you're married and have kids, or is it
just challenging as challenging as challenging?
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Yeah, I think it's agnostic to both. Right, challenging is challenging, right,
And so even as a young airman, you know, I
can recall, you know, in my dorm during the holiday
time frame, starving of some of those traditions that I
was accustomed to growing up, right, whether it was gathering
together with family to have a meal, to laugh and
(12:48):
joke around, and one of the things that we would
always do is seeing Silent Night by the Temptations, Right,
That's what I recall, Right, That's what I remember. And
then as I've moved forward and have now my own family,
I've spent many times away during the holidays and through
pivotal moments of birthdays and recitals and first basketball games,
(13:11):
all of those things. And it's tough not only just
on me as a service member. I understand that those
sacrifices is equal or if not more, tough on my
family that I've left back home.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Now, you're in a leadership position, now you have been
for a number of years. Did you feel that the
Air Force in this case had properly prepared you for
those separations? And are you how are you all doing
now as far as because I'm thinking on that first
deployment if it's going to be during a holiday, and
as I mentioned, given the missions at your current base,
(13:44):
they've got regular departments happening all the time. Is there
a special I don't know, sir. Is there a class
or something who prepares these families or is it the
other families and their squadron that bear the responsibility for that.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Yeah, so I think it's a collective approach. We have
a number of resources cross not only local installations, but
many of our installations as we're talking to our listeners
that are on many of your military installations, through your
military family and readiness centers. That helps to prepare I'm
not saying that it's going to get us all the
way across the finish line, but helps to prepare some
(14:17):
of the common things that we have seen in the
past of separations, of isolations, of potential depression in many cases,
as well as the financial stressors, and as we deal
with those. It is a collective approach, not only from
our resources but also as a part of those formations
in the units that they're tied to.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I just had on a he's not retired, but he
was talking about his first deployment and at the time
his wife was pregnant, and that he lived off base,
and he was lucky in that the one of their
neighbors was also veteran, and he knew that they're going
to be separated, so you know, he came over and said, look,
I'll mold the lawn, I'll do with all this kind
of stuff. So that I think helped ease a little bit,
(15:00):
but to a great extent. My sense is a chief
that a lot of this responsibility unfortunately falls to the
fellow service members, whether it's within their command or just
other folks you know, in base housing or whatever it
might be. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Absolutely, And I think there's there's three things that I
would probably point to our military families, especially during this
time of year. Number one, I would tell them to
stay connected. That is that is crucial, whether it's their neighbors,
it is with their friends as well as with their
service member if they are the ones who are going
(15:34):
to be deployed. I can recall when my girls were younger,
I would do digital readings and then I would send
back to them so that when they turn the pages
of reading their book, it would be my voice. That
was a way that I was able to stay connected
with my family. But not just with the family. I
would say also connect with others, and that being the
neighbors and maybe the formation of the unit that are
(15:55):
their support on the backside. So join them in making
new traditions, you know, attending the gatherings, the pot lucks
and those things. And finally, I think what military families
don't give themselves enough is point number three is give
themselves grace. This is difficult, This is difficult business in
(16:15):
what we do of defending the Constitution and the freedom
of democracies in which we share. So that sacrifice is
something that much of the world will never know. And
so I'd say give yourself grace when it comes to this.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
And again the reason I want to do this, Chief
is I I'll back up a little bit. I mean, certainly,
if I'm a civilian family and I've got a loved
one who's you know, a first responder, a law enforcement
you know, because of the nature of they what they do,
they miss a lot of holidays and special events as well.
It's just I mean, they're not gone for six months
of it, right, So when we come back to try
like to you, there's a couple of words that you
(16:50):
mentioned earlier in this conversation that really kind of attracting
my attention and kind of buzzer, which so I'd like
to jump into that a little bit. One of the
you know I didn't joke about, you know, that situation
with the Campbells. I was working an event chief several
years ago with the group I volunteered with, and here
comes a family and I asked him as a mom,
dad and three little boys, and I asked them, Okay,
(17:12):
which one of you is deploying, and he looked me
in the eye. Chief, he says, I'm going this month,
She's going in three. Now, this is when we're you know,
full I rock Afghanistan higher Pacier deployment. But I just
I could not believe that this entire family was going
to war. Now I don't recall what time of year
it was, but nonetheless, I just I can't you talk about,
(17:33):
you know, individual members of the military married couples, but
then you've got the joint service couples. That makes it,
I would say, even more complicated. I guess Ben gets
one dumb question every show, Chief. So my dumb question is,
when you do have a joint service couple, like the Campbells,
for example, where they're both in leadership roles, does the
(17:53):
military try to accommodate those sorts of situations so they're
not both over use it at the same time.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Absolutely so, as much as possible as mission would allow
and dictate, we do try to offset those separations of
families understanding what that sacrifice would look like.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Okay, very good time when we come back. Like I said,
there's a couple of words that really jumped out of
me and your previous comments we'll talk a little bit
more about that. Ladies and gentlemen, this your host, Ben
delar Garcia. If you know of or have a family
member that's going to be separated during the holidays, please
share this message with them and make sure we can
get everybody else set and take care of during the holidays.
Don't forget. You can find this podcast and over six
(18:32):
hundred others at American Warrior Radio dot com. You can
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as far and wide as possible, and you're key to that.
So thank you so much for your support. Once again,
Ben viler Garcia. We'll be back with more with Chief
Calvin Hatcher in just a few minutes. Welcome back to
(19:11):
American Warrior Radio, Lasier and gentlemen, this is your host,
Ben buler Garcia. We're talking about holiday separations for our
military families with Chief Master Sergeant Kelvin Hatcher. Chief Catcher
has served twenty five years in our military. He's got
three daughters, He's had a number of deployments and separations,
and he's responsible for a lot of airman and his Base,
Davis Mountain Air Force Base, and so we're talking about
(19:33):
some of the practical challenges and sir you one of
the things, one of the words you mentioned earned this
conversation that struck me because it's not something I would
normally think about. You mentioned finances, and my mind immediately
went to the fact that, well, when a family member
is deployed, I mean, obviously they're still getting paid. But
what do you mean by that? Is that? Because I mean,
(19:54):
I know in some couples my house an example, I
mean I handle all the bills, you know, whatever's not
on audio pair whatever, So I've got that, and my
wife's got a little sheet with all the passwords on it,
just in case. But nonetheless, that could be kind of
a you know, a complicated time for them to adjust.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Sure, And as I recollect and I think back on it,
I look at myself as this young airman, right, having
a young family, and based off of my upbringing, I
want everything to be right. We often move ourselves by
looking at other families, or you know, maybe it's someone
on TV where the holidays is this perfect scene and
(20:35):
if we paint this picture in our mind, oftentimes we
have airmen, we have people in general that will put
themselves into financial struggles to ensure that things are made right.
And that's what I mean by the financial stressors that
often happens through the holidays because we want the picture
perfect moment to be remembered.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
So they may be overspending on a tree or gifts
or something like that. Absolutely, okay, I As I mentioned,
my folks are missionaries, so we had a number of separations. Honestly, Kelvin,
I've got to say because of the way we are raised.
I don't know. I mean, there's obviously the physical separation
(21:12):
when you I mean you set down to the Christmas
table or whatever it is on Thanksgiving and Mom and
Dad are just not sitting there. But I'm grateful that
because and I don't know if it's our spirituality, whatever
it is, but it never you know, even when they're
on the other side of the globe literally, there was
still somewhat of a connection. I have a feeling though,
that a lot of families don't necessarily have that to
(21:33):
fall back on. So the loneliness of just a single airman,
how do you, I mean, how much of a problem
can that be? As far as maintaining morale, and even
discipline in some cases.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
Sure, I would say the word connection that you mentioned
that is oftentimes something that people struggle with because they
don't know what it is and they make up this
definition of what connections should look like. But I would
tell you or anyone that connections are only built through trust,
through someone caring about someone deeply, and someone that is
(22:09):
willing to help no matter what. We must answer yes
to all three of those in order for connection to
truly happen, and if one of those is a no,
then connection is broken. And so oftentimes when airmen are
looking for connection or people are looking for connection, maybe
one of those elements are missing. As a leadership team
(22:29):
and the individual who is responsible for a lot of
airmen on the installation, to me, it starts with trust.
Trust for me is one of those things that I've
learned over the years. It's earned in pennies and spending
one hundred dollar bills. It is hard to get but
easily spent right, and so once it's done, it's hard
to get back. And I want to be able to
build trust with every airman, every family member that I
(22:53):
get an opportunity to speak with, and as I build
the trust with them, understanding that it's going to take time.
I want them to know that I care about them
as an individual, I care about them as a human
number one, and then I'm willing to help whatever that
may be. And I think that's the way that we
build connection in anyone or any relationship in which we have.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
On your first separation from your family, regard, what do
you recall what time of year it was?
Speaker 3 (23:19):
I do. In fact, we mentioned earlier in our speaking
of ninety eleven and coming through basic military training during
that time, I actually deployed three months after nine to eleven,
and so that was my first time really been away
maybe in conflict or harm's way, where there's a lot
of worry not only on my end, but also worry
(23:41):
on my family's in that word, about me, and so
maintaining that connection. At the time, we didn't have the
FaceTime and things that we have now, But there were
many letters that were written, and there were skype calls
periodically that we can get or morale calls through the
fifteen minute that we will wait on our you know,
(24:03):
the next partner up type deal. But you do as
best as possible with what you have, but you begin
to build connections with the individuals that you're with.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
And moving a little bit forward in your life after
your marriage and children came along.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Was there was there?
Speaker 2 (24:18):
And do you recommend that because you know generally they're
not saying pack a you know, forty eight hour bag, chief,
You're going to, you know, wherever you have some lead time,
you know, before the deployment's coming up, did you and
your family, you and your wife sit down and have
a conversation about this and is that something you recommend
absolutely be done, particularly for that first deployment. Is there
(24:40):
you know that you have a very hard chat about
not just the basics like who you know, here's here's
how the water bill gets paid, honey, or on down
to you know, let your feelings be your feelings. You're
going to be lonely, You're going to be sad. You
might even be angry and feel that. You know, it's
okay to you know, ask for help, It's okay to
be feel like you need need someone to support you
(25:02):
during this time.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Yeah, I think I hit the jackpot. My wife both
her parents are Air Force, both active duty and civil service,
so spending roughly close to seventy years of their life
combined in service. She understand what sacrifice looks like. Nonetheless,
it doesn't alleviate any family that is out there. We
still have those tough conversations we do. We don't want
(25:27):
to break the routine of our of our family, even
though I may be leaving for months away from them,
and so we do have the difficult conversations of all
of those things. How do we continue to maintain connection,
How do we continue to maintain our drive to what
I would what we would do even if I was
(25:47):
here with you into understanding that when I leave, I
also need to give some of that to my spouse,
right and when I return, don't come back as if
things are the norm that they've been for the last
six months or maybe a year. There has to be
some acclamation time that comes into that as well.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
And just talk about that a little bit more for
the breakstret because I've heard that story before. I mean,
particularly on a long deployment, the family gets used to
a different routine, and then when the service member comes
back and has to in effect be reintegrated into that
family and into those roles, that is that easier. I
mean for some couples it might be smooth like flipping
(26:31):
on a light switch. And for other couples that might
cause some some stressors.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Yeah, I can. I can say in some if if
the communication isn't there between that family, I've seen it
where it has caused problems and meaning that things are
not going to be microwave right. If you've been doing
something that you've been accustomed to. You know, for many
of our cases, our deployments for six months long, you're
(26:56):
not going to be able to change that in a
light switch, right, And so allowing for the reacclimation, allowing
for some of those things to reintegrate yourself with the family,
I believe it's tremendously important as you continue to move
down Chief.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
If we come back there, I want to talk about
a couple more words that jumped out of me, you know, isolation.
We talked a little bit about the financial strain and stress,
and then in our pre conversation you talked about century
overload and actually use the phrase PTSD and that caused
me to sit back in my chair a little bit.
(27:30):
So I'd like to chat about that when we come
back to real quick. You know, folks love stories here, Hatch,
Is there anything in your twenty five year career. Is
there any that did you ever have a young mister
Campbell telling the general to fire his dad moment? Or
has it all been pretty pretty smooth sailing?
Speaker 3 (27:49):
No, no things things are things have been really well.
I'm certainly thankful for that. But I would I would
tell you that every family gets a vote. Every family
get to vote, and so that young kid of the Campbells,
he had a vote, right, and what he wanted was
his parents. So I think that we have to listen
(28:11):
to our families when things like that, when they're tough,
and to find out where the disconnects may be.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
You know, in the back part of that story, chief
is that Scott and Kim did consider retiring after that
because specifically because of this issue with their family. But
then they were lucky enough to both get appointed to
work at the Air Force Academy, which spent they got to,
you know, come home every night. So, ladies and gentlemen,
this is Ben Biler Garcia talking with Chief Master Sergeant
Kelvin Hatcher about holiday separations. If you have a story
(28:39):
or some that you know would be good for American
Warrior Radio, that's our mission, that's our purpose. Please send
us a note BBG at American Warrior Radio dot com.
We'll be right back. Welcome back to American Warrior Radio.
(29:12):
Ladies and gentlemen. This is your host, Ben Blaguarcia. Very
privileged and pleased to be joined by Chief Master Sergeant
Kelvin J. Hatcher. We're talking about the additional stresses that
might be placed on our military families during these holiday season,
especially when it comes to deployments and separations a chief.
One of the things, and kind of doing my research
and prep for the show, you had mentioned you use
(29:33):
the phrase sensory overlord, and I saw recommendations from other
experienced veteran military families just said, look, you know it's
okay you when your spouse is gone and your separate
from your family, you know, other folks might invite you
to a big Christmas part of your holiday party. They
might want you to do this much, you want to
do that, and it's okay not to do that, you know,
(29:56):
if it's too much for you. And then also on
the deploy family member's side, I imagine if I was
someplace you know, particularly remote, you know I come back,
people want to throw a big party welcome home.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
Yah, yah, yah, that might not be the best thing
for me at that point in time, right Or Am
I crazy?
Speaker 3 (30:15):
No? Absolutely, I think I think you're spot on.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
When we look at things on a holistic level, especially
coming up through the holidays, these are times that are
meant for great joy, great times in people's lives where
you can connect, where you can dance and play and
whatever it may be. May not be for everyone. And
what I mean by that those times may have something
(30:41):
in a person's past, right that brings up memories right
that are sad, that are discomforting and even disconnected into
a sense, So those those times of greatest joy could
be moments of longing, could be moments for for isolation.
And so maybe the parties are not the event that
(31:02):
they want to be at. Maybe the welcome home gatherings
may not want that individual want to attend, And I
think that is okay, but we need to ensure that
we're certainly making a connection with that person as well
during these difficult times.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Is the reverse also true? I know in our family
very often many years we would invite somebody that we
knew was on their own and didn't have anyone to celebrate,
you know, the holidays with so we'd invite them over
to our home for a meal, and you know they'd
get a gift to under the tree. Is that that
works too? Right?
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Absolutely very much. So that is a practice that we
continue to do today.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Okay, And so how much of that, Kevin, is the
Because I know there's lots of listeners and places I
volunteer with in my community where you know, they would
love to walk up to the front door of their
local military base and just kind of knock and said, hey,
I'd like to write a check, or I'd like to
do this, or I'd like to do that. But real
(31:58):
life doesn't quite work that way. So when it comes
to this civilian community, what kinds of things can we
do to support these military families? I mean I gave
the perfect example of the family was living off base
and their neighbors knew that there was going to be
a separations. They offered to kind of help out with
the chores and whatnot. But what other things can we
as civilians do to support you and your families?
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Well, I would say the first thing that I would
recommend to any civilian family is to keep our military
members and their families and their thoughts and their prayers.
That is, by one the greatest gift that I believe
that you can do. But across our national landscape, their
programs like the USO Operation home Front that actually aims
(32:43):
to give relief to those who serve as well as
those who support them. Many installations as well across our
nation may have opportunities where our civilian partners and guests
are able to welcome airmen, soldiers and the like into
their homes during the holidays, where you can sign up
for that. So that would be location dependent. But those
(33:05):
are some national level things as far as the USO
and Operation home Front.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
So I know Google has all the answers chief, But
so I mean, are there literally adopt military member programs
out there?
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Absolutely there is. I'm the one that you can adopt
if you would like that.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Oh okay, yeah, just throwing that out there. So the
I mean to me, I'm both because I'm trying to
put in my mind Calvin, both the deployed family member
but then also the family back home and particularly if
they're young ones, and there are those good memories, healthy traditions,
(33:43):
but now someone's no longer part of that tradition. Would
you recommend because I heard someone suggest sir that, well,
you know, keep them part of the tradition, so still
set a place for them at the table. In my mind,
that goes to a sad place, right, you know, it's
almost like the ceremony. You have a lot of a
lot of military events where you've got the table there,
(34:04):
so that may not be appropriate for everybody. But you
talked about, you know, doing digital readings to send back
to your daughters. And I even saw a woman who suggested,
and she I got the impression she's a long, long
time military spouse. Before big deployment. She would fill out
all the cards for all the special events where they
might be, Birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, whatever it might be, and
(34:26):
then she'd pack them away and they're you know what
they're taking with them overseas with dates on them. So
while they were there on that date, wherever they were
in the world, they could open up that card and bang,
there's that connection, that special connection. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
I think the digital connections that we have now are
much greater than what they year in years past. And
so I try not to break any traditions with my family,
and so on those Christmas mornings when when I'm not home,
I try to dial in whether it's zero two in
the morning for me or not, right that I can
engage and be with my wife and my daughters, right
(34:59):
to see them open a gift or we interact and
maybe be there for part of the dinner as well
with the rest of the family around.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
That's I'm so old. I forget that that's an available technology.
You know, I'm still stuck on the you know, cars
from home World War two kind of era. What about
do you suggest or have you ever seen a situation
where maybe it's I'm deploying December first, So the family says,
(35:27):
you know what, We're just gonna cheat father time a
little bit. We're gonna have Christmas in November or hand
like on November. Whatever it is is that. Have you
ever seen somebody do that and does that work? Or absolutely?
I might be confused as the kids a little bit,
but I.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
Don't think it confused them. My children, my older to
one graduated from college and the other in college currently,
and so they were home visiting this Thanksgiving. And so
what we end up doing we sped up father Time
a day early. Because my daughter in college is a
high school I mean excuse me, a college ballplayer, and
so she had to get back for games, and so
(36:01):
we did speed it up. And I think there's opportunities
for that as well for our deployed members.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
We're running out of time here, Chief. There are things
that you know. I talk a lot about what the
military can do, but what are your suggestions and your
experiences as far as what other military families can do
for each other when they know of these separations coming up,
or they might have a family member that it's in one.
I just have to share. I was privileged to be
Laura and I are privileged to be invited out to
(36:26):
a rescue squadron holiday party several years ago, and just
the feeling there, the camaraderie, the closeness of that community.
I don't know if it's different than other squadrons, but
it really even as an outsider looking in, I mean,
we really felt that you can almost cut it with
a knife in a good way.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
So, yeah, that's that's great. You mentioned that word of
connection and camaraderie. All of us are social beings, right,
and so we want this sense of belonging to be
a part of something and someone, and I think that's
a great thing that the military certainly provide what I've
suggested to many of our individuals on the insulation. Although
(37:06):
we are in a digital age when people are separated,
there is something about the eyeball to eyeball connection between us,
and so I would tell them, and it's been stated
before and I'll continue to say it again, that we
have to interact more than we internet. That we cannot
build trust from behind a keyboard. We got to get
out amongst our people to get to know them. And
(37:26):
those are the cultures that you're talking about within the
holiday party that you had opportunity to attend.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
I tell you, sir, one of my other concerns is,
given the change that I've seen, and you certainly see
it more intensely, I've got a very concern about those
young airmen who, you know, they report to their duty station,
they do their job, and their back in the dorm,
you know, plan xbox or you know whatever they've gotten
today's and that that interaction is a lot less than
(37:52):
it was with my generation, where we're all shooting hoops
or doing something or or you know, going on a
hike together. And I just that is that something that
you and the other leadership at the bases are paying
a particular attention to during the holiday season when some
of the compatriots they might interact with are gone have
gone home to see their families.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
Every day, but also especially during the holidays. Of ensuring
that we build a culture that we want a belonging
to our personnel.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Chief has been a real privilege and a pleasure. Like
I said, to chat with you, any final thoughts that
you'd like to share with our listeners out there.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
I would just say thank you so much for one
for having me, and to our listeners that are out there,
thank you so much for your support of American Warrior Radio.
I would continue to hope that you listen to it
because we have a great host and happy holidays to everyone.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
That is definitely for the JAG officers listening. That was
not a paide solicitation. I want to be very clear
about that one. Chief. It's been a real pleasure and
I hopefully you and your family are all going to
be together well, I mean, because if your daughter's plan ball,
there's probably other tournaments coming up, and.
Speaker 3 (38:55):
Yes, sir, we're gonna getn opportunity to travel there.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
Oh you're gonna go see her even better. Another good suggestion,
you can always take the holiday on the road if
they're deployed here domestically. Well, best wishes to you, and
I tell you it's been a real pleasure to work
with you so far, and perhaps we can have you
on again some other time. Look forward to it. There
you go, ladies and gentlemen, until next time, don't forget
all policies and procedures or a main places. Chief Hatcher
(39:18):
ordered you to please share these messages. It's very important,
particularly for the civilian community out there, to recognize what
our military families and our first responder families due to
support us. Have a safe holiday and take care of yourself.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
You've been listening to American Warrior Radio. Archived episodes may
be found at americanwarriorradio dot com or your favorite podcast platform.
We all owe them, but very few of us know them.
They are the men and women of our military and
first responder communities, and these are their stories. American Warrior
Radio is on the air.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Welcome to American Warrior Radio, Ladies and gentlemen. This is
your host, Ben Biler Garcia. A special shout out to
those of you joining us on some of our new affiliates.
Freedom ninety three point seven KDFD in Denver, Colorado, WGOW
one or two point three FM, and eleven to fifty
AM in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Our friends in Seattle tuning in
on KTTH ninety four point five FM, seven seventy AM,
(00:47):
and LI News Radio one of three point nine FM,
Long Island, New York. It's great to have you with
us and hope to see you back every week. Several
years ago, I had the pleasure of talking with Scott
and Kim Campbell. At the time, both were eight ten poddots,
both had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and both
were colonels serving in command positions in our United States
Air Force. Kim related a story about when their young
(01:09):
son approached a three star general at a public event
and pleaded with the General to fire his father so
that his father could spend more time at home with
his family. Luckily for us, the General did not consider
the request, and both Scott and Kim would go on
to teach at cadets at the Air Force Academy. You
might get a chuckle out of the young mister Campbell's
heartfelt requests to the General, but it highlights a serious point.
(01:30):
When our fellow citizens volunteered to take the oath, they
were taking on a serious burden, to include time separated
from their families around the holiday season. I'd like to
bring this topic up is a way of reminding fellow
civilians of the sacrifices these families make on our behalf.
Joining me to add insight to this topic is Chief
Master Sergeant Kelvin J. Hatcher. Chief Hatcher is the command
(01:50):
chief Master Sergeant for the three fifty fifth Wing at
Davis Mouth and Air Force Base and Tucson, Arizona. In
that role, he serves as senior advisor for one of
the largest installations in our United State's Air Force, with
more than forty six thousand personnel, one hundred and fifty
two aircraft, and fifty one billion dollars in Assets. Chief
Hatcher is in his twenty fifty year of service to
(02:10):
our nation and has had deployments to no fewer than
six operations. Chief, Welcome to American Warrior Radio.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Thank you so much for having me. It's exciting to
be here.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Well, now you enlisted in two thousand, So again I
just we're talking ab out there, General Rantoman. I never
do math in public, but I think that comes out
to about twenty five years, right, that's.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
About sums it up.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Now, why the military, chief, and why the Air Force?
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Well, I would say that I never had aspirations of
joining the military to begin with. I started off. I
went to college. It was one of those goals of
mine to ensure that education, which was very important to
myself as well as my family. My mother a cafeteria
school worker in the elementary school for forty three years.
In fact, she just retired on last year, so super
(02:53):
excited about that. But education was one of those things
that she truly instilled into us in the importance sets
behind it. So going after college, excuse me, after high school,
going into college, it was something that I wanted to do.
I wanted to go back and I wanted to teach.
I wanted to give to the next generation of folks.
And after about two years, it was my sister who
(03:14):
actually convinced me to join the Air Force. She had
already been in she was serving as a medic and
I had an opportunity to go visit her and at
Travis Air Force Base, California at the time, and after
seeing all the things that she had on her own,
a little bit of the freedoms, obviously that was part
of it as well, but she was able to do
some things on our own that I wanted to be
a part of because I saw a difference in her
(03:34):
from what we grew up. And so I would say
to this day she is certainly a hero of mine.
She's a mentor of mine as well. She too is
a chief in the Air Force, doing amazingly well, serving
off in Hawaii, and so that gave me the passion
to serve.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
So you're midway in your college degree, though, so you
had to leave college to join the Air Force?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Absolutely, at least temporarily, yes, And it was one of
those things where I wanted something different. School wasn't given
it to me. I didn't have that sense of purpose
that was behind it, and so the military.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I wanted to give it a shot. Now. You joined
so almost a year. As I understand, you're listed in
September of two thousand, almost a year prior to the
nine to eleven attacks. What was your reaction as a
young airman in uniform when you saw that happen.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I'm not sure if it was due to the political
landscape that was happening, but part of our basic military
training is to ready airmen for any future conflict, and
I would say it was none better than that of
having a first time marine as well as an Army
ranger being your BMT instructor, and so we got it right.
(04:43):
We understood the importance of what warfare was to look like,
what conflict was going to be. So I think I
was pretty prepared when I got to my first duty station.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I tell you, Chief, I'm looking at your bio and
I'm going to check my notes here. I've got August
twenty twelve to September of twenty sixteen, Superintendent, Presidential Facility,
the White House, Washington, d C. That sounds like a
pretty cool assignment.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
It was not only a cool assignment. I think I
learned a lot, not only about myself, but I learned
a lot of parts about our government in the way
that it operates. I often tell people when they ask
me that story, or when they look at my bio
of working at the White House, I would tell them
that I got an opportunity to think like a terrorist
for four years, meaning that I wrote continuity to the
(05:30):
Presidency one to ensure that we as a United States
will always have a president, regardless of wherever that member
may be. And so whenever you think of something like that,
the policy is you go out and now write to
defend it. And so that's what I had an opportunity
to do. It was a beautiful assignment that was great
and learned a lot.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
And I'm glad you clarified the statement about learning know
your enemy, right. I mean that's so what can you
tell us about practically what I mean where you're dealing
with logistic or security or air conditioning, I mean all
the above.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yeah, so it incorporates a lot of things. Obviously, the
background as a civil engineer had to do much of infrastructure,
and so when you think of anything from an infrastructure perspective.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
It had to deal with all those Okay, Chief, I
want to tell you the part of The reason I
really wanted to have you on is given the types
of mission at Davis Month and Air Force Base, the
pace of deployment for our airmen and their families there
does not necessarily go down very much even when we're
not in a shooting war. So when it came to
this topic about family separations during the holidays, I thought
(06:39):
you'd be a perfect person to have that discussion. Now,
as I understand, before you were the command chief at
Davis Month and you were also the command chief at Eglin.
Was that the thirty third lighter wing? So is that
unusual to have two command chief positions or is that
just the way the system works.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Well, it's an opportunity of addressing, just like any other
respective role in which we would have so afford it obviously,
both opportunities to engage and interview with respective commanders for
each of those wings. And when given the opportunity to
come back to Davis Motham and I say back, because
(07:18):
I was here a few years ago, I couldn't let
up off the opportunity to come to it and serve.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Okay, and of those forty six thousand personnel that I
mentioned in the intro, approximately how many, sir, are military
versus civilians and are you respond? Well, I use the
air quotes responsible for all of their welfare or just
the military families.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
So when we think of welfare of our personnel as
well as a morale that goes with it, it is
not only just a service member, but it is also
their families, right, And so of the numbers that we
spoke about at the very beginning, we're looking at a
portion of about eleven thousand when it comes to our
civilian airman that's included within that ratio, but thirty seven
(08:00):
thousand of airmen as well as their family members that
are on the installation. So all of that is encompassed
into our willhouse and what we should be responsible for.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
So that includes independent contractors. Just when I think we
talked to some extent, you know, DM does have some
some host units that are on the base as well,
which kind of take care of their own thing. But
you're still responsible for all the facilities and making sure
things operate. They can't get through the gate, that's gonna
be a problem.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Yeh, yes, sir, you got it.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
I actually almost experienced that the other night. It worked
out well, It worked out well well. I'll tell you
Chief when we come back, I'd like to broach that
subjects I do as a civilian myself. I just I
feel like I always have to remind other civilians out
there about you know, when people think about sacrifices. Of course,
very often they go to the extreme cases, you know,
people that are that are killed in action or severely
wounded or these sorts of things. But to me, just
(08:49):
the you know, the simple idea that and you've been
doing this twenty five years, You've got three daughters. I'm
guessing in there there's been a lot of separations, there's
a lot of mispir days, holidays, and of course right
around you know, this time of year with Christmas and
Hanaka and all the other holidays, it's I would guess
it's it's particularly daunting. And let me just sort of
plant the seed before we take the breaks.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
So I was.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
My folks are missionaries, so I like to joke that,
you know, we had the same relocation schedule as a military,
just reporting to a different kind of general. I'll leave
it at that. But you know, every two three four
years we're moving, and it wasn't it wasn't bad until
my last move before I went out to college was
during my freshman year in high school. My brothers from
(09:32):
his junior to senior year, and that was a real
tough one. I really didn't want to go. But in
retrospect as an adult, I appreciate what I was able
to learn and develop. I think better as a person,
and you know, kind of tied to that also is
is how that impacted our time together as a Family's
a holidays, so we come back. I like to chat
with that. Ladies and gentlemen, there's your host, Ben Biler Garcia.
(09:54):
We're talking with Chief Master Sergeant Calvin J. Hatcher. We'll
be right back. Welcome back to American Warrior Radio Laser. Gentlemen,
this is our host, Ben Buler Garcia. We're talking with
(10:15):
Chief Master Sergeant Kelvin J. Hatcher. Chief Hatcher's now going
into his twenty fifth year in our United States Air
Force Command positions. A lot of separations during that time,
and Chief, you know, I kind of teased before the
break about my family. And so my oldest brother, he
was affiliated with a Division one basketball team in college,
(10:36):
so a lot of tournaments during the holidays, so he
was gone. My middle brother, John joined the Air Force,
and so he had deployments holidays. He's gone. I was
in the marching band in college bowl games. I'm gone.
My parents were spent several years in Checklisvock. In fact,
they were there for the velvet relution Revolution. They were
on the other side of the world during the holidays.
(10:57):
So I think I have a little more sense about
this than your average civilian bear. But in no way
would I compare it to what families like yours go
through during the holidays. So what I mean, how many
can you say, sir, and your just in your family
and your life alone, how many of those did you
miss where you weren't together.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Yeah, so I would say over the past twenty five years,
I've had my number of separations. In fact, I started
off approximately seven five hundred miles away from home as
leaving Georgia, which is where I'm from, to Okanawa, Japan.
That was my first duty station. And so even though
a single airman at the time, that incurred its own
separation and isolation from the things that I had known
(11:40):
growing up. And so, like many the physical distances from
loved ones, especially during peak seasons as we speak of
now coming up to the holidays is often magnified by
the emotional weight of traditions, things that you are accustomed to,
just being away, and it can often lead to some
isolations of just trying to maintain some of those connections.
(12:02):
It's just not the same over the phone or through
care packages, even though that was one of the things
my mom really wanted to do every single month, of
going grocery shopping for me.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
So is it different, would you say, having experienced it,
you know, both sides the equation. Is it more or
less challenging if you're a single member of the military
versus if you're married and have kids, or is it
just challenging as challenging as challenging?
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Yeah, I think it's agnostic to both. Right, challenging is challenging, right,
And so even as a young airman, you know, I
can recall, you know, in my dorm during the holiday
time frame, starving of some of those traditions that I
was accustomed to growing up, right, whether it was gathering
together with family to have a meal, to laugh and
(12:48):
joke around, and one of the things that we would
always do is seeing Silent Night by the Temptations, Right,
That's what I recall, Right, That's what I remember. And
then as I've moved forward and have now my own family,
I've spent many times away during the holidays and through
pivotal moments of birthdays and recitals and first basketball games,
(13:11):
all of those things. And it's tough not only just
on me as a service member. I understand that those
sacrifices is equal or if not more, tough on my
family that I've left back home.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Now, you're in a leadership position, now you have been
for a number of years. Did you feel that the
Air Force in this case had properly prepared you for
those separations? And are you how are you all doing
now as far as because I'm thinking on that first
deployment if it's going to be during a holiday, and
as I mentioned, given the missions at your current base,
(13:44):
they've got regular departments happening all the time. Is there
a special I don't know, sir. Is there a class
or something who prepares these families or is it the
other families and their squadron that bear the responsibility for that.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Yeah, so I think it's a collective approach. We have
a number of resources cross not only local installations, but
many of our installations as we're talking to our listeners
that are on many of your military installations, through your
military family and readiness centers. That helps to prepare I'm
not saying that it's going to get us all the
way across the finish line, but helps to prepare some
(14:17):
of the common things that we have seen in the
past of separations, of isolations, of potential depression in many cases,
as well as the financial stressors, and as we deal
with those. It is a collective approach, not only from
our resources but also as a part of those formations
in the units that they're tied to.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
I just had on a he's not retired, but he
was talking about his first deployment and at the time
his wife was pregnant, and that he lived off base,
and he was lucky in that the one of their
neighbors was also veteran, and he knew that they're going
to be separated, so you know, he came over and said, look,
I'll mold the lawn, I'll do with all this kind
of stuff. So that I think helped ease a little bit,
(15:00):
but to a great extent. My sense is a chief
that a lot of this responsibility unfortunately falls to the
fellow service members, whether it's within their command or just
other folks you know, in base housing or whatever it
might be. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Absolutely, And I think there's there's three things that I
would probably point to our military families, especially during this
time of year. Number one, I would tell them to
stay connected. That is that is crucial, whether it's their neighbors,
it is with their friends as well as with their
service member if they are the ones who are going
(15:34):
to be deployed. I can recall when my girls were younger,
I would do digital readings and then I would send
back to them so that when they turn the pages
of reading their book, it would be my voice. That
was a way that I was able to stay connected
with my family. But not just with the family. I
would say also connect with others, and that being the
neighbors and maybe the formation of the unit that are
(15:55):
their support on the backside. So join them in making
new traditions, you know, attending the gatherings, the pot lucks
and those things. And finally, I think what military families
don't give themselves enough is point number three is give
themselves grace. This is difficult, This is difficult business in
(16:15):
what we do of defending the Constitution and the freedom
of democracies in which we share. So that sacrifice is
something that much of the world will never know. And
so I'd say give yourself grace when it comes to this.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
And again the reason I want to do this, Chief
is I I'll back up a little bit. I mean, certainly,
if I'm a civilian family and I've got a loved
one who's you know, a first responder, a law enforcement
you know, because of the nature of they what they do,
they miss a lot of holidays and special events as well.
It's just I mean, they're not gone for six months
of it, right, So when we come back to try
like to you, there's a couple of words that you
(16:50):
mentioned earlier in this conversation that really kind of attracting
my attention and kind of buzzer, which so I'd like
to jump into that a little bit. One of the
you know I didn't joke about, you know, that situation
with the Campbells. I was working an event chief several
years ago with the group I volunteered with, and here
comes a family and I asked him as a mom,
dad and three little boys, and I asked them, Okay,
(17:12):
which one of you is deploying, and he looked me
in the eye. Chief, he says, I'm going this month,
She's going in three. Now, this is when we're you know,
full I rock Afghanistan higher Pacier deployment. But I just
I could not believe that this entire family was going
to war. Now I don't recall what time of year
it was, but nonetheless, I just I can't you talk about,
(17:33):
you know, individual members of the military married couples, but
then you've got the joint service couples. That makes it,
I would say, even more complicated. I guess Ben gets
one dumb question every show, Chief. So my dumb question is,
when you do have a joint service couple, like the Campbells,
for example, where they're both in leadership roles, does the
(17:53):
military try to accommodate those sorts of situations so they're
not both over use it at the same time.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Absolutely so, as much as possible as mission would allow
and dictate, we do try to offset those separations of
families understanding what that sacrifice would look like.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Okay, very good time when we come back. Like I said,
there's a couple of words that really jumped out of
me and your previous comments we'll talk a little bit
more about that. Ladies and gentlemen, this your host, Ben
delar Garcia. If you know of or have a family
member that's going to be separated during the holidays, please
share this message with them and make sure we can
get everybody else set and take care of during the holidays.
Don't forget. You can find this podcast and over six
(18:32):
hundred others at American Warrior Radio dot com. You can
also find us on your favorite podcast platform, Iheartpandora, Spotify,
or wherever it is. We try and spread these messages
as far and wide as possible, and you're key to that.
So thank you so much for your support. Once again,
Ben viler Garcia. We'll be back with more with Chief
Calvin Hatcher in just a few minutes. Welcome back to
(19:11):
American Warrior Radio, Lasier and gentlemen, this is your host,
Ben buler Garcia. We're talking about holiday separations for our
military families with Chief Master Sergeant Kelvin Hatcher. Chief Catcher
has served twenty five years in our military. He's got
three daughters, He's had a number of deployments and separations,
and he's responsible for a lot of airman and his Base,
Davis Mountain Air Force Base, and so we're talking about
(19:33):
some of the practical challenges and sir you one of
the things, one of the words you mentioned earned this
conversation that struck me because it's not something I would
normally think about. You mentioned finances, and my mind immediately
went to the fact that, well, when a family member
is deployed, I mean, obviously they're still getting paid. But
what do you mean by that? Is that? Because I mean,
(19:54):
I know in some couples my house an example, I
mean I handle all the bills, you know, whatever's not
on audio pair whatever, So I've got that, and my
wife's got a little sheet with all the passwords on it,
just in case. But nonetheless, that could be kind of
a you know, a complicated time for them to adjust.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Sure, And as I recollect and I think back on it,
I look at myself as this young airman, right, having
a young family, and based off of my upbringing, I
want everything to be right. We often move ourselves by
looking at other families, or you know, maybe it's someone
on TV where the holidays is this perfect scene and
(20:35):
if we paint this picture in our mind, oftentimes we
have airmen, we have people in general that will put
themselves into financial struggles to ensure that things are made right.
And that's what I mean by the financial stressors that
often happens through the holidays because we want the picture
perfect moment to be remembered.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
So they may be overspending on a tree or gifts
or something like that. Absolutely, okay, I As I mentioned,
my folks are missionaries, so we had a number of separations. Honestly, Kelvin,
I've got to say because of the way we are raised.
I don't know. I mean, there's obviously the physical separation
(21:12):
when you I mean you set down to the Christmas
table or whatever it is on Thanksgiving and Mom and
Dad are just not sitting there. But I'm grateful that
because and I don't know if it's our spirituality, whatever
it is, but it never you know, even when they're
on the other side of the globe literally, there was
still somewhat of a connection. I have a feeling though,
that a lot of families don't necessarily have that to
(21:33):
fall back on. So the loneliness of just a single airman,
how do you, I mean, how much of a problem
can that be? As far as maintaining morale, and even
discipline in some cases.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
Sure, I would say the word connection that you mentioned
that is oftentimes something that people struggle with because they
don't know what it is and they make up this
definition of what connections should look like. But I would
tell you or anyone that connections are only built through trust,
through someone caring about someone deeply, and someone that is
(22:09):
willing to help no matter what. We must answer yes
to all three of those in order for connection to
truly happen, and if one of those is a no,
then connection is broken. And so oftentimes when airmen are
looking for connection or people are looking for connection, maybe
one of those elements are missing. As a leadership team
(22:29):
and the individual who is responsible for a lot of
airmen on the installation, to me, it starts with trust.
Trust for me is one of those things that I've
learned over the years. It's earned in pennies and spending
one hundred dollar bills. It is hard to get but
easily spent right, and so once it's done, it's hard
to get back. And I want to be able to
build trust with every airman, every family member that I
(22:53):
get an opportunity to speak with, and as I build
the trust with them, understanding that it's going to take time.
I want them to know that I care about them
as an individual, I care about them as a human
number one, and then I'm willing to help whatever that
may be. And I think that's the way that we
build connection in anyone or any relationship in which we have.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
On your first separation from your family, regard, what do
you recall what time of year it was?
Speaker 3 (23:19):
I do. In fact, we mentioned earlier in our speaking
of ninety eleven and coming through basic military training during
that time, I actually deployed three months after nine to eleven,
and so that was my first time really been away
maybe in conflict or harm's way, where there's a lot
of worry not only on my end, but also worry
(23:41):
on my family's in that word, about me, and so
maintaining that connection. At the time, we didn't have the
FaceTime and things that we have now, But there were
many letters that were written, and there were skype calls
periodically that we can get or morale calls through the
fifteen minute that we will wait on our you know,
(24:03):
the next partner up type deal. But you do as
best as possible with what you have, but you begin
to build connections with the individuals that you're with.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
And moving a little bit forward in your life after
your marriage and children came along.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Was there was there?
Speaker 2 (24:18):
And do you recommend that because you know generally they're
not saying pack a you know, forty eight hour bag, chief,
You're going to, you know, wherever you have some lead time,
you know, before the deployment's coming up, did you and
your family, you and your wife sit down and have
a conversation about this and is that something you recommend
absolutely be done, particularly for that first deployment. Is there
(24:40):
you know that you have a very hard chat about
not just the basics like who you know, here's here's
how the water bill gets paid, honey, or on down
to you know, let your feelings be your feelings. You're
going to be lonely, You're going to be sad. You
might even be angry and feel that. You know, it's
okay to you know, ask for help, It's okay to
be feel like you need need someone to support you
(25:02):
during this time.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Yeah, I think I hit the jackpot. My wife both
her parents are Air Force, both active duty and civil service,
so spending roughly close to seventy years of their life
combined in service. She understand what sacrifice looks like. Nonetheless,
it doesn't alleviate any family that is out there. We
still have those tough conversations we do. We don't want
(25:27):
to break the routine of our of our family, even
though I may be leaving for months away from them,
and so we do have the difficult conversations of all
of those things. How do we continue to maintain connection,
How do we continue to maintain our drive to what
I would what we would do even if I was
(25:47):
here with you into understanding that when I leave, I
also need to give some of that to my spouse,
right and when I return, don't come back as if
things are the norm that they've been for the last
six months or maybe a year. There has to be
some acclamation time that comes into that as well.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
And just talk about that a little bit more for
the breakstret because I've heard that story before. I mean,
particularly on a long deployment, the family gets used to
a different routine, and then when the service member comes
back and has to in effect be reintegrated into that
family and into those roles, that is that easier. I
mean for some couples it might be smooth like flipping
(26:31):
on a light switch. And for other couples that might
cause some some stressors.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Yeah, I can. I can say in some if if
the communication isn't there between that family, I've seen it
where it has caused problems and meaning that things are
not going to be microwave right. If you've been doing
something that you've been accustomed to. You know, for many
of our cases, our deployments for six months long, you're
(26:56):
not going to be able to change that in a
light switch, right, And so allowing for the reacclimation, allowing
for some of those things to reintegrate yourself with the family,
I believe it's tremendously important as you continue to move
down Chief.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
If we come back there, I want to talk about
a couple more words that jumped out of me, you know, isolation.
We talked a little bit about the financial strain and stress,
and then in our pre conversation you talked about century
overload and actually use the phrase PTSD and that caused
me to sit back in my chair a little bit.
(27:30):
So I'd like to chat about that when we come
back to real quick. You know, folks love stories here, Hatch,
Is there anything in your twenty five year career. Is
there any that did you ever have a young mister
Campbell telling the general to fire his dad moment? Or
has it all been pretty pretty smooth sailing?
Speaker 3 (27:49):
No, no things things are things have been really well.
I'm certainly thankful for that. But I would I would
tell you that every family gets a vote. Every family
get to vote, and so that young kid of the Campbells,
he had a vote, right, and what he wanted was
his parents. So I think that we have to listen
(28:11):
to our families when things like that, when they're tough,
and to find out where the disconnects may be.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
You know, in the back part of that story, chief
is that Scott and Kim did consider retiring after that
because specifically because of this issue with their family. But
then they were lucky enough to both get appointed to
work at the Air Force Academy, which spent they got to,
you know, come home every night. So, ladies and gentlemen,
this is Ben Biler Garcia talking with Chief Master Sergeant
Kelvin Hatcher about holiday separations. If you have a story
(28:39):
or some that you know would be good for American
Warrior Radio, that's our mission, that's our purpose. Please send
us a note BBG at American Warrior Radio dot com.
We'll be right back. Welcome back to American Warrior Radio.
(29:12):
Ladies and gentlemen. This is your host, Ben Blaguarcia. Very
privileged and pleased to be joined by Chief Master Sergeant
Kelvin J. Hatcher. We're talking about the additional stresses that
might be placed on our military families during these holiday season,
especially when it comes to deployments and separations a chief.
One of the things, and kind of doing my research
and prep for the show, you had mentioned you use
(29:33):
the phrase sensory overlord, and I saw recommendations from other
experienced veteran military families just said, look, you know it's
okay you when your spouse is gone and your separate
from your family, you know, other folks might invite you
to a big Christmas part of your holiday party. They
might want you to do this much, you want to
do that, and it's okay not to do that, you know,
(29:56):
if it's too much for you. And then also on
the deploy family member's side, I imagine if I was
someplace you know, particularly remote, you know I come back,
people want to throw a big party welcome home.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
Yah, yah, yah, that might not be the best thing
for me at that point in time, right Or Am
I crazy?
Speaker 3 (30:15):
No? Absolutely, I think I think you're spot on.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
When we look at things on a holistic level, especially
coming up through the holidays, these are times that are
meant for great joy, great times in people's lives where
you can connect, where you can dance and play and
whatever it may be. May not be for everyone. And
what I mean by that those times may have something
(30:41):
in a person's past, right that brings up memories right
that are sad, that are discomforting and even disconnected into
a sense, So those those times of greatest joy could
be moments of longing, could be moments for for isolation.
And so maybe the parties are not the event that
(31:02):
they want to be at. Maybe the welcome home gatherings
may not want that individual want to attend, And I
think that is okay, but we need to ensure that
we're certainly making a connection with that person as well
during these difficult times.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Is the reverse also true? I know in our family
very often many years we would invite somebody that we
knew was on their own and didn't have anyone to celebrate,
you know, the holidays with so we'd invite them over
to our home for a meal, and you know they'd
get a gift to under the tree. Is that that
works too? Right?
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Absolutely very much. So that is a practice that we
continue to do today.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Okay, And so how much of that, Kevin, is the
Because I know there's lots of listeners and places I
volunteer with in my community where you know, they would
love to walk up to the front door of their
local military base and just kind of knock and said, hey,
I'd like to write a check, or I'd like to
do this, or I'd like to do that. But real
(31:58):
life doesn't quite work that way. So when it comes
to this civilian community, what kinds of things can we
do to support these military families? I mean I gave
the perfect example of the family was living off base
and their neighbors knew that there was going to be
a separations. They offered to kind of help out with
the chores and whatnot. But what other things can we
as civilians do to support you and your families?
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Well, I would say the first thing that I would
recommend to any civilian family is to keep our military
members and their families and their thoughts and their prayers.
That is, by one the greatest gift that I believe
that you can do. But across our national landscape, their
programs like the USO Operation home Front that actually aims
(32:43):
to give relief to those who serve as well as
those who support them. Many installations as well across our
nation may have opportunities where our civilian partners and guests
are able to welcome airmen, soldiers and the like into
their homes during the holidays, where you can sign up
for that. So that would be location dependent. But those
(33:05):
are some national level things as far as the USO
and Operation home Front.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
So I know Google has all the answers chief, But
so I mean, are there literally adopt military member programs
out there?
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Absolutely there is. I'm the one that you can adopt
if you would like that.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Oh okay, yeah, just throwing that out there. So the
I mean to me, I'm both because I'm trying to
put in my mind Calvin, both the deployed family member
but then also the family back home and particularly if
they're young ones, and there are those good memories, healthy traditions,
(33:43):
but now someone's no longer part of that tradition. Would
you recommend because I heard someone suggest sir that, well,
you know, keep them part of the tradition, so still
set a place for them at the table. In my mind,
that goes to a sad place, right, you know, it's
almost like the ceremony. You have a lot of a
lot of military events where you've got the table there,
(34:04):
so that may not be appropriate for everybody. But you
talked about, you know, doing digital readings to send back
to your daughters. And I even saw a woman who suggested,
and she I got the impression she's a long, long
time military spouse. Before big deployment. She would fill out
all the cards for all the special events where they
might be, Birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, whatever it might be, and
(34:26):
then she'd pack them away and they're you know what
they're taking with them overseas with dates on them. So
while they were there on that date, wherever they were
in the world, they could open up that card and bang,
there's that connection, that special connection. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
I think the digital connections that we have now are
much greater than what they year in years past. And
so I try not to break any traditions with my family,
and so on those Christmas mornings when when I'm not home,
I try to dial in whether it's zero two in
the morning for me or not, right that I can
engage and be with my wife and my daughters, right
(34:59):
to see them open a gift or we interact and
maybe be there for part of the dinner as well
with the rest of the family around.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
That's I'm so old. I forget that that's an available technology.
You know, I'm still stuck on the you know, cars
from home World War two kind of era. What about
do you suggest or have you ever seen a situation
where maybe it's I'm deploying December first, So the family says,
(35:27):
you know what, We're just gonna cheat father time a
little bit. We're gonna have Christmas in November or hand
like on November. Whatever it is is that. Have you
ever seen somebody do that and does that work? Or absolutely?
I might be confused as the kids a little bit,
but I.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
Don't think it confused them. My children, my older to
one graduated from college and the other in college currently,
and so they were home visiting this Thanksgiving. And so
what we end up doing we sped up father Time
a day early. Because my daughter in college is a
high school I mean excuse me, a college ballplayer, and
so she had to get back for games, and so
(36:01):
we did speed it up. And I think there's opportunities
for that as well for our deployed members.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
We're running out of time here, Chief. There are things
that you know. I talk a lot about what the
military can do, but what are your suggestions and your
experiences as far as what other military families can do
for each other when they know of these separations coming up,
or they might have a family member that it's in one.
I just have to share. I was privileged to be
Laura and I are privileged to be invited out to
(36:26):
a rescue squadron holiday party several years ago, and just
the feeling there, the camaraderie, the closeness of that community.
I don't know if it's different than other squadrons, but
it really even as an outsider looking in, I mean,
we really felt that you can almost cut it with
a knife in a good way.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
So, yeah, that's that's great. You mentioned that word of
connection and camaraderie. All of us are social beings, right,
and so we want this sense of belonging to be
a part of something and someone, and I think that's
a great thing that the military certainly provide what I've
suggested to many of our individuals on the insulation. Although
(37:06):
we are in a digital age when people are separated,
there is something about the eyeball to eyeball connection between us,
and so I would tell them, and it's been stated
before and I'll continue to say it again, that we
have to interact more than we internet. That we cannot
build trust from behind a keyboard. We got to get
out amongst our people to get to know them. And
(37:26):
those are the cultures that you're talking about within the
holiday party that you had opportunity to attend.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
I tell you, sir, one of my other concerns is,
given the change that I've seen, and you certainly see
it more intensely, I've got a very concern about those
young airmen who, you know, they report to their duty station,
they do their job, and their back in the dorm,
you know, plan xbox or you know whatever they've gotten
today's and that that interaction is a lot less than
(37:52):
it was with my generation, where we're all shooting hoops
or doing something or or you know, going on a
hike together. And I just that is that something that
you and the other leadership at the bases are paying
a particular attention to during the holiday season when some
of the compatriots they might interact with are gone have
gone home to see their families.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
Every day, but also especially during the holidays. Of ensuring
that we build a culture that we want a belonging
to our personnel.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Chief has been a real privilege and a pleasure. Like
I said, to chat with you, any final thoughts that
you'd like to share with our listeners out there.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
I would just say thank you so much for one
for having me, and to our listeners that are out there,
thank you so much for your support of American Warrior Radio.
I would continue to hope that you listen to it
because we have a great host and happy holidays to everyone.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
That is definitely for the JAG officers listening. That was
not a paide solicitation. I want to be very clear
about that one. Chief. It's been a real pleasure and
I hopefully you and your family are all going to
be together well, I mean, because if your daughter's plan ball,
there's probably other tournaments coming up, and.
Speaker 3 (38:55):
Yes, sir, we're gonna getn opportunity to travel there.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
Oh you're gonna go see her even better. Another good suggestion,
you can always take the holiday on the road if
they're deployed here domestically. Well, best wishes to you, and
I tell you it's been a real pleasure to work
with you so far, and perhaps we can have you
on again some other time. Look forward to it. There
you go, ladies and gentlemen, until next time, don't forget
all policies and procedures or a main places. Chief Hatcher
(39:18):
ordered you to please share these messages. It's very important,
particularly for the civilian community out there, to recognize what
our military families and our first responder families due to
support us. Have a safe holiday and take care of yourself.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
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