Sol iers' families receive U Sophomore's job tends to troops' loved ones in U.S. s she arrived at work each day, sophomore Brooke Bernard wondered about who she would talk to that day. Sometimes the people called were worried about serious issues like not receiving their support checks. At other times the person on the other end of the telephone would just want someone to talk to about the struggles faced that day - crying children, problems at work or malfunctioning automobiles. Working as a summer hire since her junior year of high school in the 315th family support offices at the Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina, Bernard was responsible for calling the families of deployed soldiers to check on the family members and offer them support through child care services, car washes or vehicle tune-ups. As soldiers were deployed overseas, they would fill out questionnaires at the family support office with information about their families, including contact information and family details. "Sometimes, it just made them feel better to know someone was there who understood what they were going through," Bernard said. When she arrived at work in the morning, Bernard would send out e-mails to some of the families who conversed through the Internet. After lunch, she would make calls to people all across the counSOPHOMORE BROOKE BERNARD WORKS at the CharlestonAir Force Base in SouthCarolina Aug. 1, 2003. Bernard, who worked dUring the summers, called deployed soldiers' families offering support. .COURTESY OF B. BERNARO try. Sometimes the people would just answer that they were fine and not want to talk, and sometimes people would want to talk for a long time, she said. "The biggest thing was that they all missed their spouses," Bernard said. "I really found out how difficult it is to be a soldier's spouse. I developed so much admiration for them." Bernard said she worked an average of 40-45 hours a week. Despite long hours, she said her work was worth it when soldiers would come home and bring their families to visit. Bernard said another high point for the job was when she got to meet President George W. Bush during his visit to Charleston in the summer of 2002. Working with the military, Bernard was "coined," a military term that means rewarded with memorabilia. In honor of their work, Bernard and two other summer hires were rewarded with the opportunity to shake the president's hand after he landed in Charleston. While she enjoyed that experience, Bernard said the main reason she returned to the base every semester was because she loved seeing soldiers returning to their families and knowing others had cared for their loved ones. "I got to do so much to help so many families," Bernard said. "That's why I go back - it's so rewarding." ~DEANN THOMAS 89 - SOPHOMORES
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