June 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 35

Yokota Air Base Outdoor Recreation
hosts a ski trip to Fujimi Panorama Ski
Park in Fujimi, Japan.
her at the front of the room, Sexauer
saw the same man she'd noticed
in the photo but re-energized and
smiling. After the programmer successfully
encouraged him to join
the walking club, the service member
gained confidence, improved
his physical fitness, and found a
positive outlet for recreation and
socialization. " [S]omething as simple
as a caring programmer and a
simple walking club made a huge
difference in that sailor's life, " says
Sexauer. " [H]e still participated to
cheer others along. "
MWR professionals
Centering Equity
and Serving Military
Communities Holistically
MWR professionals
strive to
support
healthy, equitable military communities
by creating inclusive programming
using input from community
members. " U.S. society is
diverse, and that diversity carries
throughout the communities we
serve. We have to commit to learning
who we program for and what
the members of those communities
value, " says Sexauer. " If we understand
those who make up the communities
we serve, then we can better
meet their needs. That means
making a concerted effort to reach
out and connect with all. Meeting
the needs of recreational enthusiasts
is easy, but we must come
alongside individuals and learn
more about what makes them feel
comfortable and then create opportunities
tailored to their wants and
needs. Most importantly, it comes
down to respecting and valuing
everyone, and our programs and
those who run them have to model
just that. "
serve military families holistically
and support their well-being, particularly
as they manage frequent
relocations and family separations
during deployments. " By taking
recreational programming and
adding lines of messaging that are
meaningful to our communities,
we are able to better connect with
our communities and fill needs, "
says Scott. " During the Month of
the Military Child each April, we
celebrate one of our biggest assets
within our community, our youth.
Our youth go through some of the
same hardships as adults living
within a military community, so
they are exposed to multiple stressors
with constant relocation and
separation from loved ones. Month
of the Military Child programs
rally efforts to shine a light on the
care we take and provide services
and activities that are specifically
tailored to their needs. "
While veterans were previously
not eligible to access MWR programs
post-service, Sexauer says
the military is creating opportunities
for them to take part in armed
forces
recreation. " The Department
of Defense has expanded
quality-of-life program services to
military veterans [who] did not remain
in the service for the entirety
of a career, " she says. " We have
progressively seen those veterans
participate more in recreational
services they previously did not
have access to, ranging from golf
[to] special events, bowling alleys
and campgrounds. " With
this
change, the military is offering
veterans pathways to socialization
and support networks that enhance
their well-being.
Facing Challenges
MWR professionals are navigating
the lasting effects of the coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic.
" Health
and well-being, particularly
mental health, has emerged as a
challenging issue. The isolation
associated with COVID-19 did
not
help
influenced
and likely
those
negatively
challenges, "
says Sexauer. " Losing that faceto-face
contact on a regular and
recurring basis negatively impacted
programs that were either scaled
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | JUNE 2 0 2 3
| Parks & Recreation
35
PHOTO COURTESY OF YOKOTA AIR BASE OUTDOOR RECREATION
June 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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