KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico -- Three members of Team Kirtland spoke to their teammates about their life experiences during a Kirtland Talks at the 377th Air Base Wing headquarters. The theme was surviving and thriving.
Master Sgt. Christina Day, Airman & Family Readiness Flight superintendent, spoke about her journey through multiple illnesses to stay an airman and keep fighting. Day is an Air Force Wounded Warrior and has suffered with Crohn’s disease most of her career. When she learned about the Air Force Wounded Warrior program, she didn’t think she was qualified for it, but quickly found community with the organization.
“We’re all warriors,” Day said. “That helped me embrace being part of that family. Going to my first wounded warrior event in Nebraska, I found out that I’m not alone in this.”
Senior Airman Gregory Gyorgydeak, 250th Intelligence Squadron, spoke about his upbringing in New Mexico, and how it helped shape him into the person he is today. Gyorgydeak grew up in a one parent home with drugs. After nearly taking his own life, he had a moment of clarity that pushed him forward. He was able to graduate high school and join the New Mexico Air National Guard with the help of his mentor, Senior Master Sergeant Matthew Demers, 250th IS superintendent. All Gyorgydeak wants to do is prove his father, who left his life before he was born, wrong.
“I wanted to be better, I wanted to be successful,” Gyorgydeak said. “I wanted to go beyond the expectations people had for me in my life and continue to prove to them that they’re wrong. Just because you’re put in a tough situation doesn’t mean you have to let that hold you down.”
Chief Master Sergeant Craig Whisler, 377th Maintenance Group chief enlisted manager, spoke about going through a divorce in the middle of his career, bouncing back, and still making chief. Whisler was a maintenance instructor at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He came home from work one day to find that his wife had packed her things and had left for Dallas. After not being able to sleep for months on end, Whisler decided to go to mental health.
“As tough as people think they are, especially me being an ammo troop, I had never cried so much in my life,” said Whisler. “I didn’t want to go to mental health at first because I didn’t want to risk my security clearance. But I walked in and I can’t tell you how good it felt to tell my story to someone I didn’t know.”
There are helping agencies all over base that are willing to help. The behavioral health clinic in the medical group is there to help with behavioral changes to improve your life. The chaplains are there for spiritual health guidance. The Military Family and Life Counselors are available to help counsel through issues in life. No matter what the issue is, there is someone out there that wants to help.