Help us tell the AF support services story Published March 10, 2015 By Ray Bowden U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Things change. The only thing we can do is be mentally and physically prepared to roll with the changes. Air Force support services can help. Whether a first term Airman, a cadet, a chief master sergeant, a government schedule employee or a contractor, the Air Force has a support network staffed by experts able to help. We all think we can roll with these changes. After all, we're serving our country. Our worries and those events affecting us pale in comparison to our duty of accomplishing the mission, right? Wrong. Life is full of things that can affect us in a negative way, but the trick is not to let them affect us anymore than they have to. When the Academy's command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Max Grindstaff, deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan several years ago, he had no idea that he'd leave after nine co-workers died in an inside attack. To put it lightly he was troubled when he returned to the states. He got help. When the senior enlisted aide to the Academy superintendent, Master Sgt. Emily Gazzaway and her husband, Tech. Sgt. Billy Gazzaway, assigned to Peterson Air Force Base, had their first child, they were unprepared to deal with the aftermath of his death. They got help. Here at the Academy, there are all the services anyone could need when it comes to getting help. We know the Academy could not conduct its mission without its civilian workforce. We also know that some civilian staff members have faced challenges were only surmounted by taking advantage of Air Force support services too. We'd like to tell their story. If you're a civilian employee at the Academy and would like to share how Air Force support services helped you overcome a challenge or tragedy, call us at 333-7657. Your story could motivate other Airmen, cadets or civil service employees to get help too.