Hancock Field To Stand-up Joint Wellness Center

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Duane Morgan
  • 174 FW/PA
Hancock Field Air National Guard base soon will be opening the doors to the first-of-its-kind Joint Health and Wellness Center (J-HAWC).

Hancock Field has many support services to help assist our Airmen and Solidiers. Some of those services include the Chaplain, Family Programs, Wing Director of Psychological Health, Nutrition, Fitness Monitors, Sexual Assault Response Coordinators, Inspector General and Judge Advocates General. The problem is these services are scattered in different places throughout the base. The J-HAWC will be the solution to that problem. The J-HAWC will be a stand-alone facility which will house all the support services within it. This move will make the delivery of services much more efficient and effective for our Airmen.

The J-HAWC will be developed in phases, with the first phase being the facility's stand-up in the base's current Mobility Processing Center. The move into the building will be completed by the end of calendar year 2011. The second phase will see the introduction of specific service offerings and classes that will be available to all military personnel on the installation. These services and classes will focus on strengthening of the four pillars of wellness (physical, psychological, spiritual and social). The third and final phase will be to provide additional services to military dependents.

In addition to classes, the J-HAWC will offer workshops and seminars. Lt. Col. MaryJo Timpano, 174th Fighter Wing Director of Staff and the person spearheading development of the J-HAWC, explained "we are looking to offer fitness classes that would include things like yoga, tai chi, and meditation. These will cover the physical things." Other classes and seminars include stress reduction, financial fitness, legal, bible study, substance abuse prevention and nutrition. These are just a few of the things that will be offered in the J-HAWC.

Lt. Col. Timpano hopes that the J-HAWC is going to "de-stigmatize" people's perception about seeking help. It will be a positive experience. "It's confidential and it allows airmen to approach things in a positive way. It's about wellness not illness." Lt. Col. Timpano also went on to say, "With the many services provided we hope to take away the fear of someone coming forward to get help."