Service in the Air Force demands immense dedication and resilience. While Airmen are known for their strength and composure, they are, at their core, individuals with personal lives, challenges, and aspirations. The Air Force recognizes this and offers programs designed to support the holistic well-being of its members. One such initiative, the Career Intermission Program (CIP), provides a unique opportunity for Airmen to temporarily step away from active duty to address personal or professional goals, and then seamlessly return to their Air Force careers. In 2019, this program proved to be a pivotal resource for Airmen like Chief Master Sgt. Laura Wilson, highlighting its profound impact on both individual lives and the retention of valuable Air Force talent.
This article delves into the transformative potential of the Air Force Career Intermission Program, using Chief Master Sgt. Wilson’s compelling story as a central example. Her journey showcases how the CIP can serve as a crucial turning point, allowing Airmen to navigate personal hardships, pursue educational opportunities, and ultimately return to service with renewed purpose and enhanced capabilities.
Chief Wilson’s Journey: Finding Solace and Purpose Through CIP
Chief Master Sgt. Laura Wilson, a dedicated leader at Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, embodies strength and commitment. However, beneath her accomplished exterior, Chief Wilson experienced profound personal tragedies. The suicide of her father in June 2019 compounded the earlier loss of her brother to suicide in 2016. These devastating events led her to a point of deep introspection and a re-evaluation of her life’s direction.
“After the death of my father I reached a point of total surrender,” Chief Wilson recounted. The emotional toll was immense, marked by “anger, the sadness, and at times, rage. The questions. Oh, the endless questions.” This period of grief and reflection, however, also ignited a long-held aspiration within her – a desire to help others facing trauma.
Image alt text: Portrait of Chief Master Sgt. Laura Wilson in Air Force uniform, highlighting her resilience and dedication to service.
The Career Intermission Program: A Bridge Between Service and Personal Needs
Chief Wilson had long considered pursuing a career in mental health counseling. The question was how to reconcile this deeply felt calling with her ongoing commitment to the Air Force. The answer emerged unexpectedly in August 2019 when the acronym CIP surfaced in her mind. Researching the Department of Defense Career Intermission Program, she initially doubted her eligibility as a reservist. However, further investigation revealed that the program was indeed open to reservists, presenting a viable pathway to achieve her goals.
The Career Intermission Program is designed to allow select service members a temporary transition to the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). This intermission, lasting between one and three years, provides Airmen with the flexibility to address personal hardships or pursue significant opportunities outside of their military duties. Crucially, the program facilitates a seamless return to active duty, ensuring the Air Force retains experienced and trained personnel who might otherwise be lost due to permanent separation.
For Chief Wilson, the CIP offered the perfect avenue to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, specializing in Trauma therapy. This academic pursuit aligned perfectly with her desire to support individuals struggling with trauma, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation.
Family Support and Financial Considerations
Chief Wilson’s decision to apply for the CIP was a family affair. She and her husband carefully considered the implications, including the financial adjustments necessary for their family of six to manage on a reduced income. Her husband, familiar with the demands of graduate studies, offered his unwavering support, recognizing the significance of this opportunity for his wife.
The CIP provides participants with a fraction of their base pay – 1/15th each month – and importantly, maintains essential benefits such as medical/health coverage and base privileges. Prior to applying, the Wilson family had proactively eliminated their debt, a move that significantly eased their financial concerns and bolstered their confidence in pursuing this path.
“Once we made the decision together that I was going to apply for this program, it’s as if everything fell into place so perfectly, so smoothly. There was peace about this decision from the beginning—still not knowing if we’d be approved,” Chief Wilson shared.
Approval and a Sense of Validation
In late November 2019, Chief Wilson received official confirmation of her acceptance into the Career Intermission Program. This approval was more than just program admittance; it was a profound validation of her personal journey and her long-suppressed emotional experiences.
“For the better part of 20 years of my own life, I chalked up my own experiences as nothing special since we all have journeys,” she explained. Despite personal pain, she had consistently focused on gratitude and professional development, achieving remarkable success in her Air Force career. However, a sense of incompleteness persisted.
Image alt text: Chief Master Sgt. Laura Wilson pictured with her family, emphasizing the importance of family support in her CIP journey.
The CIP offered Chief Wilson the space and time to finally acknowledge and address her past traumas. “I’ve been able to work hard and continually develop myself and wonderful things have come, but the one thing—probably the biggest thing—that I can finally admit to, is that I spent so many years back-pocketing my painful experiences,” she admitted. The program became a catalyst for personal healing and self-discovery.
Finding Purpose in Mental Health Advocacy
Chief Wilson views her participation in the CIP as a critical step towards wholeness and a realization of her deeper purpose – to help others in the realm of mental health. The losses of her brother and father served as a wake-up call, solidifying her resolve to support those struggling with emotional pain.
“The deaths of my brother and father woke me up,” she stated. “I feel like a prime candidate to possibly help people come out of the darkness, help them realize they don’t have to back pocket their painful experiences as I did. It’s okay to feel.”
Chief Wilson is particularly interested in therapies like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Brainspotting (BSP), which she believes can effectively help individuals process trauma. These therapies, she emphasizes, are not about erasing memories but about freeing individuals from being bound by them.
A Gift to Give Back: Service Beyond Military Duty
Coinciding with her CIP acceptance, Chief Wilson also became eligible for retirement. This presented a significant choice: retirement or CIP participation followed by continued service. Ultimately, her commitment to the Air Force and her desire to contribute to the mental health community led her to choose the CIP.
“There was such a large part inside me that feels I have so much more to give to the military,” Chief Wilson affirmed. “I also have something to contribute within the mental health community… I feel as though this has been somewhat of a calling in my adult life. I’ve known all along that I want to help people in a deeply meaningful and authentic way.”
Chief Master Sgt. Wilson’s story powerfully illustrates the benefits of the Air Force Career Intermission Program. It is not just a program for career breaks; it’s a strategic tool for talent retention, personal development, and enhancing the overall resilience of the Air Force. By allowing Airmen to pursue personal growth and address life challenges, the CIP strengthens the force, ensuring that experienced and dedicated individuals like Chief Wilson can continue to serve with renewed purpose and contribute their unique skills and experiences both within and beyond their military careers.
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