ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass virtually mentored Airmen during a Coffee and Connect meeting at Altus Air Force Base, June 25, 2021.
Coffee and Connect is a focus group that emphasizes women empowering women through connection and encouragement. They are currently reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, taking time to discuss each chapter during their meetings. This session’s topic was on “friendship.”
When asked about friendship, Bass encouraged attendees to be “present” when coworkers or friends are talking, whether that be in the office or in a line for coffee.
“I learned a long time ago...that you have friends for a season, a reason, or a lifetime,” said Bass. “The relationships and the connections that you will have with each other on this base are huge. We're better because we have an opportunity to be together.”
Senior Airman Janae Goss, 97th Contracting Flight contracting specialist, said she had several positive takeaways from Chief Bass.
“My biggest takeaway from Chief Bass was that a lot of times we go through life attached to friendships and sometimes you have to put yourself first,” she said.
Chief Master Sergeant Laura Hoover, 97th Operations Group superintendent, arranged the meeting with Bass because Hoover wants to bring back “love, compassion, and brotherhood” within Air Force leadership service-wide.
“It is important that we discuss these things with our higher Air Force officials because, while we are a profession of arms and we have a wartime mission to execute, the people are the ones that do that mission,” said Hoover. “The stronger we are as people and the better persons we are to one another, the stronger our forces are going to be.”