Dear KOSC Members,

In a period of one week I was able to hear two amazing women, Mrs. Annette Slaydon and Mrs. Sandra Gruters, tell powerful stories from a military spouse’s perspective. It got me thinking about what it means to be a military spouse and how KOSC fits in as an extension of the Military and Air Force family.

At the Air Force Ball on September 13, Mrs. Annette Slaydon, wife of SSgt Andrew Slaydon, an Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician who lost his left arm and his eyesight as a result of IED injuries, delivered an emotional and moving speech. As a career woman who worked long hours while her husband was deployed, she said she never really understood just how important this Air Force family was until she needed it the most. Through the love and support of the Air Force family, they have been able to rebuild their lives after an extreme tragedy and move on with purpose and hope.

On September 18, KOSC was honored to be able to host Mrs. Sandra Gruters, wife of former Vietnam POW Capt Guy Gruters. Mrs. Gruters gave a captivating presentation to KOSC and OESC members about what she and her children went through while her husband was held prisoner for five years. Mrs. Gruters said that during her darkest moments, she was able to rely on her belief in God, family, and her strong network of spouses to keep her going. Although, none of us has experienced Mrs. Gruters’ exact situation, her words touched our souls.

We understood the extra burden and emotional pain of having a spouse who is deployed. We could identify waiting around for a phone call (or email) that doesn’t come, or the pain in our hearts when we look into our children’s eyes and have to explain why daddy has to miss a birthday or holiday. With each TDY and deployment we become stronger and more opinionated; we learn to take on more duties and juggle more plates. We cherish the time we have together as a family and we learn to accept the absence. With each passing year, our knowledge deepens and we become more empowered in our role as a Military Spouse.

Listening to these courageous women, I realized just how significant KOSC is to its members and how we fit into this big Air Force family. So much of what we do is a reflection of our desire to take care of our own and to give something back to the other members of this magnificent extended family. Our donations to other military and DoDDS organizations, our scholarship program that helps family members realize their educational goals – all of these activities stem from our mission to make a difference in our community.

But at its most basic level, KOSC is an organization that helps us make the human connections that give true meaning to the concept of family. It’s a support network that gives military spouses here at Kadena a chance to meet new people and establish lasting bonds of friendship. These bonds are strengthened through our shared experiences, whether through the deployments of our spouses, the trials and tribulations of raising kids, or simply trying to adjust to life on Okinawa.

The life of an Air Force spouse isn’t easy these days, as we cope with the constant deployments, the long hours and trying to hold down the home front. It’s times like these when we lean on family. To our veteran members, thank you for making KOSC an organization that makes this concept of the Air Force Family real and concrete. To our new members, thank you for making the decision to become part of this great organization. Lastly, if you know someone who has just moved here or hasn’t joined, open your arms and invite them to become a part of this wonderful family!

Jacklene Hutcheson
KOSC President 2008—2009