MFLC program provides counseling for service members, families

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Ryan Labadens
  • 403rd Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Each day became a little more difficult than the next after several deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq took their toll on Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Lamar's personal life, which helped lead to a failed marriage and strained and distant relationships with friends and family. Thoughts turned from sad and gloomy to dark and on the verge of suicidal until a friend handed him a card for the Military Family Life Counselors at Presidio of Monterey, Calif., three years ago.

"I wasn't sure how to take it at first. I was embarrassed that someone saw through my false wall that I was putting up, but in a way, I was kind of relieved," said Lamar, who transferred to the Air Force Reserve as a master sergeant in June 2012. "I was nervous to call, just like anyone would be. The counselor set up a time that was easy on me, and we met away from the base at a local coffee shop so other guys that I work with wouldn't see or hear me getting counseling."

The goals of the MFLC program are to provide service and family members of all military branches with non-medical problem-solving and counseling services to help families understand the impact of stress, deployments and family reunions following deployments.

The counselors also work with adults and children on life skills such as relationships, crisis intervention, stress management, grief, occupational and other individual and family issues. They also provide counseling for deployment stress, separation, coping skills and reintegration to home life following a deployment.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Ray Thompson, 403rd Wing chaplain, said the MFLC counselors are licensed clinical counselors or therapists who rotate through military bases worldwide. He said the counselors at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., work at the Sablich Center and can be contacted at 228-365-5927 or 228-365-5834.

While service members or their families can meet with counselors on base, they are also willing to meet with people at other locations.

"One of the beautiful things that I like about MFLC is that they will meet with you anywhere, except your home," said Thompson.

Another aspect that Thompson likes is the confidentiality the counselors offer.

"They won't keep records, so there is no reporting of what you discuss with them, unless they feel you're a harm to yourself or others," said Thompson. These reportable situations include child abuse, domestic abuse and other duty-to-warn situations.

Additional services and outreach capabilities offered through MFLC include the Joint Family Support Assistance Program, the Child and Youth Services and the Schools Programs, the Independent Ready Reserve Call Center Program, the U.S. Special Operations Command Program, and the U.S. Army Recruiting Command Program.
Thompson praised the overall benefits of the MFLC program.

"It's there to provide help to families and service members in a comfortable environment and in a non-threatening way," said Thompson.

According to Lamar, this program is a great benefit to the military.

"I was a person who was depended on to get an important job done for the Army. My emotional and mental state was starting to fail me. Standing up and having the guts to get some help kept me relevant and resilient enough to get through the tough times," Lamar said. "I also feel good knowing there is someone out there that I can count on in the future if things get rough."