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Retired U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Eduardo Duran Jr., a licensed massage therapist, helps services members work through their stressors by connecting their minds back to their bodies through massage at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

June 12, 2019

A healing touch: veteran provides massage therapy to PTSD patients

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. — Tucked away at the Shellbank Fitness Center is a soothing room filled with potted plants, soft lighting and a trickling waterfall, designed to create a relaxing atmosphere.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kaylee Dubois, 633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs photojournalist, spends time with her dog, Watson, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., May 9, 2017. Dubois spent roughly seven months in mental health treatment programs, and once she was successful in managing her own recovery process, she adopted a rescued dog, who now aids in her "self treatment."(U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Katie Gar Ward)

May 8, 2017

Surviving the storm: My journey to recovery

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. — Editor’s note: The following commentary was written in observance of National Mental Health Month. Although “wingmanship” is something I live every day now as an Airman, the concept is something I have been familiar with my entire life. I specifically remember a moment this came into play when I was a 16-year-old assistant Cub Scout leader. We were in the woods and I had sent my pack of eight-year-old Cub Scouts on a mission to find branches to whittle into slingshots. “Remember to look for strong, mendable tree branches!” I shouted to them.

Members assigned to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., help maintain garden plots at the Hampton Veteran Affairs Medical Center’s horticultural therapy gardens in Hampton, Va., Oct. 22, 2016. Volunteers help maintain the rehabilitative gardens by rebuilding structures, laying mulch and picking weeds, in addition to interacting with the veterans. (Courtesy photo)

March 17, 2017

Connecting with veterans through unique therapy

HAMPTON, Va. — Throughout her weekly meetings and tasks, Jamie Reed takes moments to stare at the foliage outside her office window. During those brief moments, Reed looks forward to the one day of the month when she can get her hands dirty working alongside service members and civilians to take care of garden plots at the Hampton Veteran Affairs Medical Center’s horticultural therapy garden. Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., community members devote their time to maintaining the therapy gardens, as well as spending time cultivating relationships with veterans who use the gardens as a therapeutic source.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jason Cale, U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band, Blue Aces NCO in charge, plays guitar while Bobby Wheeler a veteran in the music therapy program plays the fiddle, at Salem Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Salem, Va., Sept. 27, 2016. Wheeler, played instruments most of his life, which made the music therapy program extremely beneficial to him. He had the opportunity to play both the fiddle and the guitar, during an interactive performance with the Blue Aces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kimberly Nagle)

Oct. 11, 2016

Blue Aces, Salem veterans make therapeutic music

SALEM Va. — For the first time a section of the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band participated in a collaborative music therapy program with veterans at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center, here. After nearly a year of planning, the Blue Aces packed up their vans to make the trip to the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center, to see all of the hard work come into play and begin collaborating with patients at the center.