Page 10 - Davis-Monthan AFB Desert Lightning News 7-2-15
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10 July 2, 2015 Desert Lightning News
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Balancing career, family through career intermission program
Senior Airman Omari Bernard She started feeling incapable of and important milestones for and you don’t write a letter to
performing at the level required of my (Airmen),” she continued. “I them, other than the reason you
18th Wing Public Affairs officers due to the stress of her job could’ve separated in February want to take the sabbatical,” she
and raising a family. In addition, 2016, and heavily considered it, said. “So really, it’s whatever you
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan she couldn’t deploy, participate but now I don’t have to choose have done in your career to this
(AFNS) -- Being in the U.S. mili- in exercises or perform physical between growing our family and point that speaks for itself.”
tary can be a tough balance be- training while pregnant. continuing to serve.”
tween career and family. For some, The reasons submitted for the
it comes down to a choice between “My body was heavily stressed, The personalist initially found sabbatical by other participants
the two; however, for Katie Evans, sending me to the hospital several out about the program through were diverse.
a temporarily separated captain times and landing my son in the friends and was one of the 20 of-
and the former 18th Force Support neonatal intensive care unit for 10 ficers selected for the highly com- “Some may think it’s just ‘mom-
Squadron manpower and person- days shortly after birth,” she said. petitive inaugural program. my’ leave; it’s not,” Evans said. “I
nel flight commander here, it’s would recommend it to folks who
about keeping both. Upon her return from maternity “I think I was one of the 32 folks would like to focus on a specific pe-
leave, breast-feeding consumed an in the pilot group, because I have riod of their life for a time, wheth-
Evans took a sabbatical from her average of up to three hours of her maintained a consistent perfor- er it’s a spiritual focus, where they
Air Force career using the pilot duty day. mance over the course of my career
version of the Career Intermission and conveyed my strong desire to See BALANCING, Page 12
Program, a program that allows a “I didn’t feel like I could actually continue serving our country,” Ev-
limited number of enlisted and of- do what the Air Force was paying ans said. “I am extremely blessed.”
ficer Airmen to temporarily sepa- me to do,” she said. “In addition to
rate from their commitment to the wanting to have a family and being Of the 40 officer and enlisted
U.S. Air Force for up to three years. pregnant on active duty, being able Airmen selected for the program,
to truly focus (upon my return) on 32 are currently participating.
“I was pregnant when the pro- what the Air Force is paying me to
gram was announced,” Evans said. do is probably the biggest reason “It’s pretty much what your re-
“My son was born two days after for me to do this program. cords look like as it meets the
the application window opened.” board,” Evans explained.
“I missed meetings, briefings
“You don’t get to talk to them
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