Family advocacy trains base leadership Published Oct. 20, 2014 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Keesler's Family Advocacy Program staff hosted its annual training for base leadership Sept. 17 and 29, at the Roberts Consolidated Maintenance Facility. Commanders, superintendents and first sergeants participated in an experimental exercise, "In Their Shoes," during the almost two-hour training sessions. "'In Their Shoes' is a simulation used to help participants understand, in a very compressed period of time, the myriad of challenges an intimate partner violence victim experiences over a period of time," explained Paula Spooner, 81st Medical Operations Squadron mental health flight family advocacy outreach manager. ""IPV is a community concern, not a private problem, and wewe all have a role in the intervention movement to end IPV," she added After opening remarks, leaders were assigned one of 10 possible victim life situations. "Each 'victim' was designated a color and, throughout the simulation, was read multiple decision cards describing realistic scenarios requiring an immediate decision," Spooner observed. "Depending on the decision made, the victim was sent to the corresponding 'station' to be given the next chapter of his or her life scenario. There were 18 stations, including security forces, chaplains, medical, mental health, victim advocate, leadership, legal/courts, child protective services, domestic violence shelter and 'abuse happens.'" "Depending on the decisions they made, victims eventually reached a resolution," Spooner added. Once everyone had moved through their individual scenario, there was a group discussion and review. "The training was absolutely successful," said Spooner. "During the wrap-up discussion, some leaders commented that the options they were provided from which to make their decision weren't acceptable - that the dilemmas offered choices they would not have personally made. Ironically, that was precisely the point of the training: to underscore that most victims don't have the range of options the leaders themselves have. "Also, I was impressed by the many emails I received in the days after the training. Some described how it made them more aware, others just thanked FAP for conducting it and one leader immediately put the new knowledge to use in his own squadron Commander's Call. That's the proof of success right there."