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KMC spouses interact during the 86th Airlift Wing’s SpouseFit event Feb. 23 at the Ramstein Officers’ Club. The two-day event featured various activities.
The 86th Airlift Wing hosted its first-ever SpouseFit event this week at the Ramstein Officers’ Club, boosting the morale of military spouses by offering a fit, fun and fabulous opportunity to build connections and to stay resilient.
The event veered away from the usual “death by PowerPoint” presentations, offering more hands-on activities, said Kristin Moore, spouse of 86 AW commander Brig. Gen. Richard G. Moore Jr.
“So often we go into a classroom setting, and we leave knowing the same three or four people we knew when we walked in,” Moore said. “Our goal with SpouseFit is to get people up and moving around — meeting new people and finding out about new organizations to volunteer with.
“It’s exciting because we have people from every base organization,” Moore added. “Besides Air Force spouses, we have Army spouses and spouses of contractors and civilian employees.”
Activities included hands-on fitness activities, to include self-defense and yoga. Other activities included nutrition, lessons geared to build resilience and an active volunteer fair. The two-day program ended with a fashion show featuring common styles of dress — business casual, semi-formal and formal.
“Our focus was on fun,” said Jan Devitt, 86 AW installation community support organizer. “We wanted everybody to come out and have fun, to build connections with each other and for everyone to know they are valued and that we are all in this together.”
Moore said it is important for military spouses to connect with one another, especially overseas, explaining that social networking opens up opportunities that will grow long after any given event. The bonds are also very useful in helping spouses stay strong in challenging times, she said.
“People sometimes feel isolated when they get overseas,” Moore said. “They could be nervous about going out; they’re nervous about traveling and the language barrier. If you have a friend you can venture out with and go to these places with, you’re more likely to do it. Getting together on base with people who are in the same boat as you can be empowering.”
While SpouseFit is only for two days, the friendships and bonds formed can last a lifetime. Organizers said to stay tuned for information about the next event, tentatively scheduled for the fall time frame.
Military spouses engage in physical activities performing jumping jacks. The SpouseFit event took place Feb. 22 and 23 on Ramstein.
Department of Defense spouses attend the 86th Airlift Wing’s SpouseFit event Feb. 22 on Ramstein. The two day event aimed to boost morale among DOD spouses and featured games, volunteer fairs, resiliency lessons, a self-defense demonstration and a yoga session.
