A solution to the briefing problem

by Airman 1st Class Sean D. Smith
Minot AFB Public Affairs

12/9/2014 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- It's not a commander in uniform on the stage; it's an Airman in civilian clothes. There are candles on the tables, and a buffet of free food. Everything is quiet and relaxed. Curiosity is in the air.

The Storytellers program, originally hosted at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, has a simple premise: Airmen share their stories and other Airmen learn from them. The program made its debut at Minot Air Force Base Dec. 5th, 2014 as a part of the base's Wingman Day lineup, but it's intended to become a recurring event.

Storytellers was conceived as an alternative to the mass assemblies and lectures traditionally used to address serious issues throughout the Air Force.

The intent is to bring more immediacy to the message by engaging Airmen through a more personal narrative in a more intimate setting. Key characteristics of a Storytellers event include low lights, free food, and a relaxed atmosphere.

Storytellers emphasizes that the speakers are peers, not leadership. The people doing the speaking are real Airmen stationed at the same base as the audience, and the stories focus on issues relevant to military life with an underlying message of resiliency.

The program doesn't want its audience skipping slideshows or tuning out under fluorescent lighting while someone simply talks at them. Storytellers takes a different approach.

"There's such a powerful human element in it," said Cindy Whitesell, Community Support Coordinator. "I think it's a refreshing change from what we're used to."

A common theme in the stories is help and support; the speakers urge Airmen to make the most of the resources that the Air Force offers to help people who are going through hard times.

"It took me fifteen years before I got help for myself," said one speaker at the event. "Sometimes you need someone to lean on."

"I didn't really want help, I didn't think I needed it. I thought that if I ignored it then it would just go away," another speaker said. "No matter what you're going through, there's someone there to help whether you think there is or not."

The Storytellers program is open and upfront with talking about darker life issues, but the overall message is one of hope and empowerment. The speakers urge the audience to maintain perspective, get help when they need it, and not try to tackle their problems alone.

"I want to tell my story, because I want people to know that there is help at the end of it all," a speaker said. "I want people to see what we go through, I want more people to understand the importance of resiliency."