Buckley kicks off new mentoring programs

Darius Jones, youth and marriage speaker from the Center for Relationship Education, speaks March 9, 2017, during the Gender Differences Symposium at the Leadership Development Center on Buckley Air Force, Colo. The symposium was the kickoff event for the new mentoring programs on base. Man-to-Man is the group for men, while UpLift is for women. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gabrielle Spradling/Released)

Buckley kicks off new mentoring programs

Christina Grooms, 460th Space Wing community support coordinator, speaks March 9, 2017, during the Gender Differences Symposium at the Leadership Development Center on Buckley Air Force, Colo. The symposium was the kickoff event for the new mentoring programs on base. Man-to-Man is the group for men, while UpLift is for women. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gabrielle Spradling/Released)

Buckley kicks off new mentoring programs

Published March 10, 2017
By Airman 1st Class Gabrielle Spradling

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Professional military training is a vital part of progressing in the military. However, the 460th Space Wing is taking training and education to the next level by providing its members with new professional mentoring groups.

“The goal of having professional mentoring groups at Buckley is to provide a networking opportunity while addressing strategies for leadership and growth that will inspire, empower and connect our community,” said Christina Grooms, 460th Space Wing community support coordinator.

There are two new mentoring groups available. One is for men called Man-to-Man and the other is for women called UpLift.

The kickoff event for the new groups was held Mar. 9, 2017, at the Leadership Development Center on base. The event included breakoff sessions for Man-to-Man and UpLift, but began with guest speaker, Darius Jones a youth and marriage speaker from the Center for Relationship Education.

Jones spoke about gender differences and how men and women can better communicate when they understand each other better.

Team Buckley members that attended the event were taught about the biological differences between genders.

Jones explained that men and women have different thought processes and that as Airmen, understanding how the opposite gender thinks will help to minimize misinformation.

The goal of the event was to not only provide information on how men and women can better understand each other, but it also was to allow people the chance to be a part of the new mentoring groups.

“A key aspect to mentorship is relationships, a foundation for relationships is communication which were the discussion and topic for the symposium,” said Grooms. “We are starting at the grassroots level of starting future mentoring forums.”

The mentoring groups will be held every other month with varying topics of discussion. For more information contact Christina Grooms at 720-847- 6881.