MD Airmen and families attend Yellow Ribbon event prior to deployment
by Sgt. 1st Class James Johnson
BALTIMORE – More than 100 Airmen and family members attended a Yellow Ribbon event hosted by the Maryland Air National Guard at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, February 24, 2024, prior to an upcoming overseas deployment.
The attendees participated in a series of general session briefings and break-out classes while receiving information from multiple resources intended to help both sides while separated from their loved ones.
“We take those resources with our base family care team to put an agenda together that fits the program requirements, the Wing’s requirements, and meets the service member’s needs,” said Brian McNabb, the Yellow Ribbon program representative for the 175th Wing. “Through the years, the program has received positive feedback due to the variety of information made available through the Yellow Ribbon program.”
Maryland Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Andrews Collins, deputy adjutant general for Maryland, and Maryland Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Drew Dougherty, assistant adjutant general – Air, spoke to attendees and encouraged them to take advantage of the resources that were available. 
Keynote speaker and facilitator William Freeman also encouraged everyone there to close communication gap to help Airmen and their families navigate throughout the event.
“They are given tools to help them navigate as they’re getting ready for the deployment and things to think about,” said Freeman. “I think the support of their leadership here in Maryland is very crucial and that they see them here. It makes the tension of being deployed a little bit easier when they know they have their support systems here too.”
The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program provides service members and their families with information they will need for the deployment and afterwards by connecting them with relevant subject matter experts.
The program also offered fun activities and learning opportunities for children and younger siblings to help them understand deployment and how to cope with separation.
All service members who deploy for 90 consecutive days on active duty orders are required to participate in the program to learn about Veterans Affairs benefits, healthcare options, financial management, and employment assistance, as well as building resilience for key relationships.
“It not only educates the members on the benefits and entitlements and things that there are that they have available to them, but it also educates the family members because a lot of times Guard members are wrapped up in preparation for deployment and they’re not focused on all the different benefits,” said Chief Master Sgt. Shane Price, state command chief for the Maryland Air National Guard.
The event had 25 resource advisors present to assist service members with various resources, education service, and job opportunities after returning home.
Baltimore City Police detective Larry Armwood, who was manning a recruiting booth onsite, knew firsthand about the benefits of the Yellow Ribbon program after leaving the active duty military.
“I came to a Yellow Ribbon event and this event catapulted me into becoming a Baltimore City Police officer because they were at one of the events,” said Armwood. “This event is amazing. This is an excellent opportunity to continue serving outside of the military or while being a reservist or Air National Guardsmen in our community.”