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Shaw Airman helps families cope with deployment

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amber E. N. Jacobs
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  In a room toward the back of the Chandler Deployment Processing Center here, fingers strummed across the arm rests of seats, as pens clicked open and close while a small group of Airmen waited.

Finally, it was time. The lights slightly dimmed and the projector was ready to go with the morning's itinerary.

"Good morning people!" boomed Master Sgt. Brian Melton, 20th Force Support Squadron readiness non-commissioned officer. "I'm Master Sgt. Melton from the Airman and Family Readiness Center, and welcome to your pre-deployment slash PCS slash remote tour briefing. As you can see there are three different groups of people here this morning, so there is a lot we need to cover."

For the Master Sergeant from the small rural town of Cassatt, S.C., this was a typical Thursday morning.

A little less than three years ago, Melton left the communications career field to pursue the special duty assignment of the readiness NCO at the Airman and Family Readiness Center.

"Since taking over this position, I've learned not to take things for granted," explained Melton. "Being an active duty member and deploying many times myself I was 'that guy.' When I went to the pre-deployment briefings I would always leave the family information blank because I assumed that my family didn't want anything to do with the military while I was gone."

In addition to running six readiness programs, one of Melton's main responsibilities is to reach out to the deploying Airmen and Soldiers in an attempt to help their spouses who may have a hard time coping with their loved one's absence.

"Every deployment is different," Melton continued. "Our family members may have done great during the last deployment, but maybe this one is going to be different since there is a new addition to the family or their spouse has a new job that requires them to be away from the home more."

"I have to remind the activity duty members who attend the deployment briefings, that mom may be under more pressure now and things may not go as smoothly as they did last time," he added.

Melton is constantly reaching out to the family members of the deployed Airmen and Soldiers of Shaw. He is always there for support whether through email, phone calls or special family sustainment events like Hearts Apart.

"I remember one spouse who was having a really difficult time with depression and dealing with the kids while her husband was gone, and she started in a downward spiral," Melton said. "Because I was able to reach out to her, we were able to get her the help she needed and every time I saw her after that she always had a smile on her face and was doing great."

Having a large close-knit family has had a significant impact on how Melton looks out for others.

"You can't do this job successfully unless you genuinely career about folks," Melton explained. "The general sense about caring for other people is one of the things that comes from my family."

For Melton, family has always been a major part of his life both on and off duty.

"I grew up in a very large and very close family," Melton reminisced. "When my dad retired out of Shaw, my aunts and uncles lived right down the road, and every Sunday we would all get together. I vaguely remember seeing friends who didn't have close families, and I remember thinking I was so glad that I did."

Growing up Melton always knew he was going to join the Air Force to serve his country.

"I'm a military brat," reflected the Master Sergeant. "My dad was in the Air Force, so not joining the Air Force was never perceived as an option for me. For as long as I could remember, the conversation always went 'So when you join the Air Force. . .' My family instilled the basic principle that you need to be successful to work hard and have integrity, so I never thought that I wouldn't join."

Since joining, Melton has impacted and touched the lives of many different Airmen and their families here at Shaw through his work at the Airman and Family Readiness Center. His duties and responsibilities range from deployment briefings to non-combatant evacuation operations and family sustainment programs.

"Melton has seized and created opportunities where service members and families can experience first-hand that he cares about their well-being and success when faced with a separation or homecoming due to a deployment or remote overseas assignment," commented Senior Master Sgt. John Sherman, 20th Force Support Squadron NCOIC of the Airman and Family Readiness Center, "He takes care of the Airmen so they can take care of the mission."

With almost 21 years of service Melton has impacted many, his exceptional interpersonal skills puts every customer at ease, explained Sherman.

"My career has been awesome, I mean awesome," exclaimed Melton. "I've never been one of those people who was stuck in one place too long. I've changed jobs every two years. This will have been the longest I've spent in one particular place, and every job that I've had has been awesome, especially this one, I wouldn't change a thing."